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Q. The NCERT is suggesting that
our schools should simplify their curriculum. Where history, geography,
literature, even mathematics and basic sciences will be taught in a diluted
form. Will it not lead to a decline in the standards.
A. Our job, which is to provide
the guidelines, finishes with the framing of the national curriculum policy.
The rest is for the NCERT to work out. It is not my job to decide which
books are to be taught in school and who is going to write it! Whenever
one book is rejected, there are issues like royalty that get affected,
so naturally there are protests. Though we do feel that the burden of schoolbooks
should be reduced, there is no question of diluting any subject. Instead,
we feel there should renewed emphasis on the study of mathematics and basic
sciences. A new methodology of instruction has to be adopted.
Q. There is a feeling that you are
a bit partial towards science and technology and not so supportive of research
in the social sciences or history.
A. I am not partial towards any
particular discipline. We are neither supporting nor opposing any research
work. They are free to do what they want. We have given the ICSSR massive
funds, I see no reason for complaints.
Q. But the ICSSR has been complaining
that the funds are not even enough to pay salaries.
A. How can the ICSSR ask for more
funds when they have not submitted the utilisation certificate of what
they have done with the funds already disbursed to them. All these are
procedural difficulties. We’ve no bias against anyone, all research should
flourish. Let them give us a proper representation with the necessary backup
- project papers, with framework, analysis, etc. Let them give us research
projects on social problems, like corruption, on gender issues, we will
definitely give them funds. There is no partial treatment.
Q. But a national fellowship in
social science is worth just Rs 7,000 per month. Lesser fellowships get
not more than Rs 2,000 per month. Don’t think they deserve a little better?
A. First, there must be well-formed
projects. There has to be an important, relevant body of work on the merit
of which we can fight it out with the finance minister. After all, the
HRD ministry does not have any fund of its own. We give whatever is allotted
to us by the finance ministry.
Q. Another feeling that has gained
ground is the space for independent research is shrinking. The Left-Right
divide has never been so bitter. There’s seems to he no common ground where
all points of view can exist anymore.
A. That is totally absurd. Never
before have all points of view been aired without any restraint. People
should not insist on one point of view. All points of view relevant to
the social condition and the issues plaguing society are important for
social growth.
Q. Getting back to the issue of
funds crunch, even the UGC says it does not have enough and large number
of sanctions for research have been withheld.
A. There is no funds crunch from
our, side: But the problem is, universities do not come up with proper
and deserving projects. Only very recently, Gujarat has been sanctioned
Rs 50 crore to reconstruction of universities. We continue to fight their
case with the finance ministry.
Q. Now about the mandir issue. The
ruling BJP seems to he talking in multiple voices. While deposing before
the Liberhan Commission, you said that negotiations between the two parties
is the only way to solve the crisis. The home minister says mandir already
exists, both de facto and de jure. A few days ago, Giriraj Kishore was
saying they will start building the mandir any time later this year.
A. I have not finished my evidence.
The case is subjudice. It’s not just a political issue. I will not make
any comment unless my witness is over. Jana Krishnamurthy can say what
the BJP thinks, it is not for me to say anything.
Q. What about corruption and the
consequent issue of party funding and the dubious role of middlemen. What
do you think should he done to clean up the process?
A. There should be a mechanism.
We were all pleading for open cheque book donations to the party. Both
the prime minister, L.K. Advani and myself have issued statements at Bangalore
that party donations should be made through cheque payments. But unfortunately,
neither political parties nor donors are prepared to accept the proposal.
Q. So what’s the alternative?
A. In our case, for normal day-to-day
functioning, party activists have been asked to collect or raise funds
in an above-board manner and we have the system of lifetime donors as well.
The scheme worked fairly successfully during my term (as party president).
But during elections, many kinds of donations come in. It’s difficult to
restrict that. Even then, the last two years we have been insisting on
cheque payments. That is why we had unanimously decided to move a resolution
to push for state funding of elections, of instituting stringent laws to
rein in poll expenditure.
Q. According to reports, political
parties hardly ever submit their annual audit reports. Most parties are
at fault on this account
A. That is not true. We have a
system of external auditing. Our books are clear. The BJP is perhaps the
only party which has up-to-date books whether election (expenditure) and
party fundings. But I agree election funding has to be regularised. Since
now the quota-licence-permit raj is over, there is less scope of corrupt
practices...
Q. But there have to be measures
to stall corrupt practices.
A. Of course, there is need for
a code of conduct for political parties and individual politicians as well.
See, even the healthiest people occasionally catch infection (laughs)!
It is the general atmosphere of the country. The social value system gets
reflected in every sphere of life. From the common political worker in
a party to people in important positions, everybody falls victim to the
system. No institution is outside the influence of corruption, not even
the media. It has eaten into the vitals of our society. People are driven
by market forces, it’s a cut throat competition to get rich fast, whether
with ill-gotten or well-gotten wealth. When becoming a karodpati on a quiz
is the norm of the day, it’s clear people don’t want to earn their money.
No part of the society is free from this. The new techno-economic regime
is not free of graft.
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