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As if the ham-handed purging of the NCERT's history textbooks and the still-born project to ban Thirukkural and Vedanta for allegedly spreading communalism was not enough, Human Resource Development Minister has succumbed to Communist pressure again. He has asked the NCERT to stop the distribution of an innocuous compendium of documents on education.
And, how could a verbatim reproduction of important documents published over the decade by reputed bodies like the Unesco, WHO, Unicef, ILO, ADB and the World Bank be considered fit for "detoxification"? According to JS Rajput, the NCERT's former director who was general editor of the book: "The purpose of bringing out the volume was to create awareness of global trends and important policies in education for the benefit of ordinary school teachers who normally have no access to them."
On July 6, D Raja, the secretary of the CPI, wrote to Singh: "We understand that the NCERT-Publications Department is going to print and publish under the title 'Global Educational Change: A Compendium of International Documents'. We also learn that Mr JS Rajput will be the Editor-in-Chief of this. We are of the view that it is not proper for NCERT to do it, particularly at a time when you have taken up the task of detoxification in the field of education. We therefore request you to intervene and stop it."
A week later, an under-secretary of the Ministry wrote to the Secretary of the NCERT: "I am directed to enclose, herewith, a copy of communication received from Shri D Raja, Secretary, CPI... Its publication should be stopped forthwith."
When contacted by The Pioneer, Raja said: "We didn't want it to be published because Rajput was the editor of the book. He was identified with communalism."
Asked specifically what could be construed as communal about the book, Raja gave evasive replies: "I have not yet read the book. We only got some sketches of its cover and some publishers guarantees."
But before the minister's orders could reach the NCERT, the first print order on the book had been executed. About Rs 2 lakh was spent on bringing out 1,000 copies. "Now we have no choice but sell off the whole lot to the kabadiwallah," said an NCERT official.
The Communist-Congress lobby's constant attack at the NCERT's autonomy has shocked many insiders. It is well known that a large number of employees owe their jobs to the CPI and the CPI(M) since the pre-Rajput days when jobs at the NCERT, academic as well as non-academic, used to be monopolised by communist activists, thanks to an old Congress-Leftist understanding.
Insiders say it was specifically
this group, led by a self-styled historian, which targeted Rajput because
he introduced discipline in the recruitment process and work culture. Since
the coming of the UPA to power, the red star is shining over Aurobindo
Marg once again.
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