Author: Times News Network
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: June 8, 2005
URL: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1135220.cms
[Note from the Hindu Vivek Kendra:
It is certain that the so-called intellectuals will not object to have
a person like Shri Mirdha to head such a national level body. For
them it would go against the practice of secularism in India. All
that they are interested in is that anyone who was appointed by the previous
NDA government should be shown the door. It does not matter to them
whether the person is capable or not.]
The government on Tuesday conceded
the demand of Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet for the removal of the renowned
danseuse Sonal Mansingh as the chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi. But
in the process it has hoisted on the Akademi a retired Congressman, Ram
Niwas Mirdha, whose links with 'natya sastra' is, at best, a state secret
as its new head.
The government seems to have followed
the same old modus operandi to get the Left to raise the public demand
for the removal of the NDA appointees and then get the Congressmen in.
Mr Mirdha is an ageing Jat Congress
leader from Rajasthan who handled various ministries during the days of
Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He was also chairman of Joint Parliamentary
Committee appointed in the 1990s to go into the securities scam. He was
chairman of the central election authority of the Congress till few months
back.
For the last couple of month Ms
Mansingh has been facing a campaign against her from the Left-inspired
members of the Academy who had charged her with 'autocratic and undemocratic'
style of functioning.
Several artists had resigned from
the Akademi in the last few months and had complained to the government
over the state of affairs in the Akademi.
