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The new battle cry: detoxify!

The new battle cry: detoxify!

Author: J.S. Rajput
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 29, 2004

A shrinking group of eminent thinkers, authors and progressives are aggrieved and angry. They thought they would be brought back at the speed of lightening and installed ceremoniously in the seats of power they had occupied for decades together without any interruption. Alas, that was not to be. Whatever little they have gathered so far is naturally unsatisfactory, not up to their expectations and stature.

Their first war cry is the immediate annihilation of 250-odd textbooks prepared in response to the Curriculum Framework for School Education, approved by the Supreme Court of India in September 2000. They have, for the time being, condescended to focus only on social sciences and history. It is disappointing that even these are to continue in the 'current' academic session. They are to be "supported" by reference books prepared 30 years ago. So what if children will now read about East Pakistan instead of Bangladesh and continue to imbibe information about the great USSR without getting any idea that it had actually bitten the dust.

The concept of reference books in addition to textbooks in schools is indeed a new innovation in the Indian school context. Eleven-year-old sixth graders will now read textbooks with instructions to delineate "communal" and "saffronised" portions, and then pore over the reference books to "secularise" themselves. Children shall no longer use terms like "mother earth", neither will they term the river Ganga as "holy". Vedanta? Just forget it!

These pillars of the new establishment have declared themselves as "non-political" for decades together, although some of them are card-holding academics, and others gave their full-throated support to a particular political party just before the general elections this May. But then for them the truth is always red. Events did take a very interesting turn this May with the election results in. Even those among the secularists who had reconciled themselves to remaining in oblivion for the rest of their lives suddenly saw sunshine dawn upon them. They rushed to declare it as a mandate for a takeover.

Within days, the flock had come together and their loud chirping was audible everywhere - particularly in the sympathetic national media. Their plans and programmes were ready within no time. They themselves were ready. To be appointed. To be included. To shoulder responsibilities. To serve the downtrodden. Vacancies must be created forthwith. Heads must roll. The lists of crimes of the "guilty" were ready and available - free of cost. Those who perceived every educational change not involving them as the "Talibanisation of education" were busy suggesting the "right" individuals who could serve the "left" cause. A new word now made its appearance in the discourse: "detoxification". This becomes Priority Number One. A committee is set up to "detoxify" books. Another searches for new meanings for the word "detoxification". A third launches a massive search for evidence of "communalisation" in the existing textbooks (I could have suggested several more if only they had consulted me!).

But first things first. The history books recently introduced must be withdrawn forthwith. These books highlight the Indian ethos and India's contribution to world civilisation. They do not denigrate Maharana Pratap, Shivaji, Guru Govind Singh Sahib And Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and other illustrious persons. In these books, Bhagat Singh is not a "revolutionary terrorist" - an interesting coinage indeed.

Today, a secular educational plan for the benefit of the nation has been released by a group of eminent ones. The first and foremost point of action perceived for the future is that all appointments, postings, promotions and transfers in the long list of institutions and organisations must be inquired into and appropriate remedial action taken urgently.

A grateful nation must now pay tribute to this novel idea. It has the potential of keeping everyone busy for a full five years.

The writer is former director, NCERT
 


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