Replacing of 'India' in textbooks: Kerala Govt sends letter to the Centre
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Left government in Kerala has sought the intervention of the Central government to reconsider a recent recommendation made by an NCERT panel to replace the term 'India' with 'Bharat' in school textbooks.
State General Education Minister V Sivankutty has sent letters via email to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, seeking their intervention into the matter.
A high-level committee for social sciences, constituted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to revise the school curriculum, has recommended that the name of the country 'India' be replaced with 'Bharat' in the school textbooks for all classes in the country.
In his letters, Minister Sivankutty underscored the importance of upholding the existing practice in the best interest of the educational system and the nation's unity, which thrives on its diverse cultural heritage.
For generations, students have learnt about the country's rich past, history and heritage with the name 'India', he said, adding that any change in this would create confusion and disrupt the continuity in the educational system.
Sivankutty said allegations have cropped up that the NCERT's present stance would only support certain ideologies.
This has raised concerns about the distortion of history and bias in the educational system, he said in the letter.
It is essential to scrutinise such recommendations to ensure that they do not follow any particular political or ideological agenda, the minister added.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Thursday categorically made it clear that the NCERT panel's recommendation to replace 'India' with 'Bharat' in school textbooks cannot be accepted.
He also urged all citizens to unite and safeguard the essence of India.
He had said that the present recommendation could be seen only as a continuation of the recent arbitrary exclusion of portions including Mughal history and the banning of the RSS following Gandhi's assassination from textbooks.
The politics behind the move are as clear as day, the CM had said.
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Cash discovery: Allahabad HC lawyers on indefinite strike over transfer of Justice Varma
Prayagraj (PTI): The Allahabad High Court Bar Association on Tuesday began an indefinite strike to protest against the proposed transfer of Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma to the high court here.
Leading the protesting lawyers gathered at gate number 3 of the high court, Bar Association President Anil Tiwari told reporters, "This protest is not against any court or judge but against those who have betrayed the judicial system."
He added, "Our fight is against those involved in corruption and against a system that lacks transparency. For now, our demand is a reconsideration and withdrawal of the transfer order."
The Bar Association had reiterated its opposition to Justice Varma's transfer on Monday and decided to go on an indefinite strike from Tuesday.
Tiwari asserted the association was prepared for an all-out battle on this issue.
"From the very beginning, there has been an attempt to cover up this matter. Today, lawyers across India are fighting this battle. Until a resolution is reached, we will not resume work, no matter the consequences," he said on Monday.
The Supreme Court collegium on Monday confirmed its decision to recommend transfer of Justice Varma, facing an enquiry over the alleged discovery of huge cash from his official residence and from whom judicial work was withdrawn, to his parent Allahabad High Court.
The transfer recommendation to the Centre was made public in a resolution uploaded on the top court website.
The alleged cash discovery happened following a fire at Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence at around 11.35 pm on March 14, prompting the fire officials to rush to the spot and douse it.
The apex court collegium headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna and the Delhi High Court subsequently issued a series of directives, including the withdrawal of judicial work from Justice Varma on Monday.
Justice Varma has "unequivocally" denied the any cash being placed in the storeroom either by him or any of his family members while "strongly denouncing the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged" to them.
He said the allegations of cash discovery from his official residence clearly appeared to be a conspiracy to frame and malign him.
Justice Varma was enrolled as an advocate on August 8, 1992. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014.
He took oath as a permanent judge of the Allahabad High Court on February 1, 2016, before being appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court on October 11, 2021.
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