Ramanujan College says teachers' presence for 'course' on Gita not mandatory
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi University's Ramanujan college administration on Wednesday said that it has withdrawn the condition for mandatory attendance kept for a certificate-cum-refresher course on Srimad Bhagavad Gita for its staff.
Jigar Inamdar, chairman of Ramanujan college, told PTI, "We had withdrawn the mandatory attendance for the course on Gita on December 22, when the inaugural session of the course was held. There's no compulsion on the staff to attend the course if they don't want to. However, I publicly urged them to join the course to increase participation."
The chairman added that the college had made attendance for the course mandatory to ensure footfall and participation by the staff.
Earlier on Wednesday, a DU teachers' outfit, Democratic Teachers' Front, opposed the mandate saying that the teaching and non-teaching staff of the college were being coerced into registering for the certificate course on Bhagavad Gita.
It alleged that the college is forcing the teaching and non-teaching staff to attend the course beyond their office hours.
"Ramanujan principal SP Agarwal has abused the powers vested in him to dictate to all teachers and non-teaching staff to compulsorily register for and attend a refresher/certificate course on Srimad Bhagavad Gita," the DTF said in a statement.
"Illegally coercing teachers and non-teaching staff to remain engaged till 6.30 pm beyond official duties and the added burden of conducting the ongoing semester examinations of students is unacceptable," it added.
The refresher course, being organised by the Teaching Learning Centre is being offered till January 9 by the college from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm for all teaching and non-teaching staff in online as well as offline mode.
In an email to the teaching staff, the college principal said that the course is being offered in line with the Indian Knowledge System Centre proposed to be set up at the college.
"This course is in line with the setting up of the Indian Knowledge System Centre at the college. In view of this it is our responsibility to first sensitize ourselves through such programmes," the email read.
It further said that the college will hold such programmes not only for Bhagavad Gita but also for vedas which are part of the Indian Knowledge System.
According to the email, all newly recruited teaching staff in the last one year were asked to compulsorily register and attend the programme in offline mode along with non-teaching staff. Other senior teaching staff were given a choice to attend the course in offline or online mode.
The teachers' body had alleged that offering such a course through the Teaching Learning Centre defeats the objective of the centre, which is to promote "independent, critical and creative thinking" and gives way to propagation of "sectarian beliefs."
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
