Row over replacing Urdu with Sanskrit in govt schools in BJP-ruled Rajasthan
Jaipur (PTI): Orders replacing Urdu with Sanskrit as the third language in some government schools in Rajasthan followed by a minister's remarks that many Urdu teachers secured jobs with fake degrees has created a row in the BJP-ruled state.
Rajasthan's education department had recently issued an order to Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion), Jaipur, to suspend classes offering Urdu as the third language and introduce it as an option.
A few days later, a government senior secondary school in Bikaner received a similar communication for replacing the language.
Amid growing resentment against the twin orders, a fresh controversy broke out on Monday after Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham purportedly said that many Urdu teachers in the state secured jobs with fake degrees.
"The previous (Congress) government removed Sanskrit teachers and posted Urdu teachers in their place. Now, we don't know Urdu and no one even studies that subject, which is why we will discontinue the posts of Urdu teachers and provide the kind of education that people want here," Bedham said during an event held in Bharatpur on Monday which circulated in the social circles.
Rajasthan's Urdu Teachers' Association termed the minister's remarks baseless and irresponsible.
"It is not correct to call Urdu teachers fake without any investigation. It is also untrue that previous Congress government appointed Urdu teachers replacing Sanskrit teachers," said Urdu Teachers' Association president Amin Kayamkhani.
School Education Minister Madan Dilawar was not available for comments.
However, Board of Secondary Education Director Ashish Modi said it is not a blanket order for all schools.
"It is not a blanket order. Except one student, there is nobody who studies Urdu as the third language in a government school in Napasar, Bikaner. This is the reason why it was discontinued," he said.
The order to suspend Urdu classes in Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion), Jaipur, was issued by the district education officer on the directions of Dilawar's special assistant.
"The minister has ordered the creation of Sanskrit teachers' posts and close down Urdu (classes). Therefore, make sure to send the complete proposal for opening Sanskrit as a third language in your school to this office," the order states.
Taking an objection, Congress MLA Rafeek Khan wrote a letter to Dilawar.
"Presently, 127 students studying Urdu as third language in the school. Closing Urdu classes would adversely affect the students," he said.
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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".
