Radical Islam and internal security

[Guest]

1993 Surat bombing suspect held in U.K.

British police say they have arrested a man wanted in connection with a 1993 bombing in Surat.



Scotland Yard said on Wednesday that 49-year-old Mohammed Hanif Umerji Patel, also known as Tiger Hanif, was arrested on behalf of Indian authorities on February 16 in the town of Bolton, northwest England.



Police say the attack killed one person and injured a dozen others. He is due in court later this month and faces extradition back to India.

[Guest]

Vaishno Devi shrine on terror radar: MHA

New Delhi: The Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu is one of the targets on the radar of terrorists, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.



In a written reply to a query in this regard, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran said, "Central Security Agencies have furnished inputs based on intelligence intercepts to that effect. It is not in public interest to disclose these facts."



He said central security agencies regularly conduct security audit of all important pilgrimage centres including Tirupathi and Shirdi.



"The Ministry has sent advisories to the State Government and Union Territories Administration to prepare appropriate security plans in order to secure and protect these religious places," he said.

[Guest]

Attacks racist, damaged Australia's reputation among Indians: Oz minister



NEW DELHI: Australia on Wednesday acknowledged that some of the attacks on Indians were racists in nature, causing considerable damage to its reputation among Indian people and said its premier criminal research agency has been roped in to study the issue and suggest remedial measures.



"I acknowledge absolutely that this issue has caused considerable damage to Australia's reputation among Indian people. We have to work very hard to address that. We have to be open, transparent and upfront about that," visiting Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith told reporters here.



He said some of the attacks are racists in nature or having racial overtones.



"We know that a number of these assaults are racists and have racial overtones. These are absolutely contemptible. We are doing a range of things in future to better portray modern Australia. We want to underline the strength of relationship between India and Australia," Smith said.



However, both the countries have agreed that the issue should not be allowed to affect the bilateral ties which has grown immensely in the last two years, he said.



The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has been entrusted with the task of studying the issue in depth and ensure whether the government's response to the attacks has been apt, Smith said.



Giving details about the study entrusted to the AIC, Smith said the institute, which is a premier agency in criminal justice research, will study the issue from all aspects and examine the response of the Australian government.



"Our police authority in Australia does not keep statistics on the basis of nationality. It has been difficult to do an exhaustive statistical analysis of the assaults. The institute will do the study to get a better understanding of the issue," he said.

"We want to see whether the Institute of Criminology can give us a deeper and further understanding to make sure that we are responding in a every possible way and that we are doing everything that we can," Smith said.



The minister had a series of meeting in recent months with his Indian counterpart S M Krishna over the issue.



"I want to give the message that we have zero tolerance to any such attack. We want to bring the culprits to justice," he said.



Smith said there have been convictions in many cases while investigation is going on in 70 cases. "We want to ensure that any visitor to Australia experiences what the people of the country experience," he said.



Smith said several initiatives have been taken by his government to check such incidents. "We abhor violence. We abhor these attacks".

[Guest]

[size="6"]Say sorry and come back home, Shiv Sena tells Husain[/size]







Mumbai: In line with the RSS, the Shiv Sena has said that MF Husain, who is all set to adopt Qatar’s nationality, can return to India, provided he seeks an apology from the Hindus.





However, Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS), which was apparently behind Husain’s decision to leave India in 2006, has demanded that he should be arrested and brought back to appear before the court in the cases filed against him.



In an editorial in Saamna on Tuesday, Sena chief Bal Thackeray said: “Husain, seek apology and return to your motherland, if you want.”



Thackeray asserted that the Sena never wanted Husain to leave India. “He is a great painter. The rich people all over the world buy his paintings for millions of dollars. But when he painted Hindu deities in the nude, there was an outburst of sentiments. Shiv Sainiks too stalled his exhibition in Delhi,” he said.



The editorial said that any artist who paints prophet Mohammad or Jesus in a negative manner is punished. Don’t the Hindus have a right to protest if someone hurts their sentiments? “Husain has hurt Hindu sentiments. It was possible for him to settle the matter by seeking an apology, but he did not do that. I may have sympathy for Husain, but insulting Hindu gods is not an indication of a good artist,” he said.



HJS spokesperson Ramesh Shinde said they will not accept any apology from Husain. “Apology will not serve any purpose. He has committed a crime and he has to be punished. The government should arrest him and bring him back to complete the court cases pending against him,” he said.



The Samiti launched a campaign against Husain since 1996, when his paintings of nude deities created a controversy.



Last week, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said they would not oppose Husain’s return if he sought an apology.

[Guest]

[size="6"]PM-Advani verbal duel in Lok Sabha[/size]







The Lok Sabha witnessed an interesting passage of arms when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened repeatedly and rejected BJP leader L K Advani's charge that US pressure was behind India's decision to talk to Pakistan.



In a sharp verbal duel during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Singh asserted that there is no change in the US policy on Indo-Pak relations after President Barack Obama came to power.



He intervened on more than two occasions during the 75-minute speech by Advani, seeking to set the record straight on the Indo-Pak talks besides other issues like 'one-rank-one-pension' for armed forces.



"You are using this debate to sow seeds... What you are attributing to President Obama is certainly not true. In my discussions with President Obama, he has unambiguously said that there is no change in the US policy towards India and Pakistan (relations)," the Prime Minister asserted.



He was replying to Advani who suggested that the US was behind the recent Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level as Obama had publicly said during his Presidential campaign that he would try to resolve Kashmir issue.



This, the BJP leader, contended marked a change in the US position as the previous US Administrations had maintained that they would not mediate in Indo-Pak relations unless both the countries want it.

[Guest]

[size="6"]450 government schemes named after three people: Advani[/size]







What is in a name, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani asked on Wednesday, taking objection to government schemes and institutions being named after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.



Government schemes and institutions should be kept away from party politics, Advani said while speaking in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint session of Parliament.



"(Some) 450 central and state government schemes and institutions involving tens of thousands of crores (of rupees) from the public exchequer have been named after three individuals," Advani said, apparently referring to Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi - all former prime ministers and icons of the Congress party.



The BJP leader referred to a letter written by a journalist to the Election Commission, accusing the Congress party of taking undue electoral advantage from these schemes.



The programmes include the Rs.28,000 crore Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (rural electrification programme), Rs 7,400 crore Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission, the Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers, the Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (to promote small enterprises) and two insurance schemes -- the Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana and the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana.



Likewise, there are many programmes named after Indira Gandhi and Nehru like the Indira Avvas Yojana, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, the Jahawarlal Nehru Rojgar Yojana and the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.

[Guest]

[size="6"]Geert Wilders’ Best Witness[/size]







As the trial of Geert Wilders for insulting Islam moves forward in the Netherlands, the one witness that could clear him of these charges will not be called.



Muhammad Taqi Usmani is a highly respected and well-known expert on Islamic law who served for 20 years as a Sharia judge on Pakistan’s Supreme Court. He is quite possibly the world’s most influential Islamist thinker and writer outside of the Middle East. Usmani is a frequent visitor to Britain, where his monograph Islam and Modernism caused a great deal of controversy.





Why is Usmani so important for the purposes of Wilders’ trial? Simply put, Usmani’s interpretation of Islamic doctrine as it concerns non-believers is the same as Wilders’.



Indeed, the critical lesson to be gleaned from Usmani’s work bolsters the very argument that Wilders is on trial for making – namely, that the doctrine of jihad, as expounded in Islamic texts, inherently poses a threat to Western civilization.



In fact, Osama Bin Laden made the exact same point in a lengthy essay entitled “Moderate Islam is a Prostration to the West” (reproduced in Raymond Ibrahinm’s The al Qaeda Reader).





I don’t know if Wilders is familiar with Islam and Modernism. However, the reader of this work will be struck by the similarities between it and Fitna, the short film that has played a significant role in landing Wilders in court. The critical difference between the two is that no one – especially no Muslim thinker, writer or the Organization of Islamic Countries – has ever accused Usmani of hate speech or of insulting Islam. And yet, consistency of treatment would mandate that if Wilders must go to trial, so should Usmani. At the very least, Usmani should be publicly condemned and ridiculed by prominent Muslim thinkers in Muslim countries.



Consider the nature of his work. Islam and Modernism is broadside attack against modernist Muslim thinking and Western civilization. Usmani is critical of modern practices such as charging interest, women and men working together, birth control, and science that it is not used to further religious thinking. Even America’s moon landing in 1969 is described as an “international crime.”



However, it is his chapter on offensive jihad, which he calls aggressive jihad, that is most significant for purposes of Wilders’ trial. Offensive jihad is the Islamic doctrine that requires Muslims to subjugate unbelievers to Islamic rule by imposing a number of restrictions, including paying a special tax known as the jizya.



Usmani categorically rejects the idea, stated by some modern Muslim thinkers, that offensive jihad can be abandoned if Muslims are freely allowed to proselytize among non-Muslims (though non-Muslims can never freely proselytize in Muslim countries). He states that “in my humble knowledge there has not been a single incident in the entire history of Islam where Muslims had shown their willingness to stop jihad just for one condition that they be allowed to preach Islam freely.” He cites the Quran to the effect that “killing is to continue until the unbelievers pay jizyah after they are humbled and overpowered.”







Usmani is a “moderate” in that he does not favor waging offensive jihad until Muslims are strong enough. Thus, peace agreements “along with all efforts to accumulate the sources of power [by the Muslims] are indeed lawful…If Muslims do not possess the capability of ‘Jehad with power’ agreement may be made till the power is attained.” However, once that strength is attained, offensive jihad must be launched. Though he does not mention it, Usmani appears to be basing this tactic on Muhammad’s temporary treaty with the Quraysh tribe known as “The Treaty of Hudabiyyah”. He made this treaty at a time when Muslims were too weak to fight the Quraysh.



Whether one agrees or disagrees with Wilders’ and Usmani’s interpretation of Islam is beside the point. The real question is: How can Wilders be prosecuted for agreeing with the interpretation of a world-renowned Islamic thinker and scholar – a scholar who has never been accused of hate speech or insulting Islam? At the very least, Islam and Modernism should be submitted as a defense exhibit at Wilders’ trial.



http://frontpagemag.com/2010/03/03/wilde...t-witness/

[Guest]

The Trouble with Dr. Zakir Naik

Wall Street Journal

By S. Dhume



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...TTopBucket



If you're looking for a snapshot of India's hapless response to radical Islam, then look no further than Bombay-based cleric Dr. Zakir Naik. In India, the 44-year-old Dr. Naik—a medical doctor by training and a televangelist by vocation—is a widely respected figure, feted by newspapers and gushed over by television anchors. The British, however, want no part of him. On Friday, the newly elected Conservative-led government announced that it would not allow Dr. Naik to enter Britain to deliver a series of lectures. According to Home Secretary Theresa May, the televangelist has made "numerous comments" that are evidence of his "unacceptable behavior."



The good doctor's views run the gamut from nutty to vile, so it's hard to pinpoint which of them has landed him in trouble. For instance, though Dr. Naik has condemned terrorism, at times he also appears to condone it. "If he [Osama bin Laden] is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him," he said in a widely watched 2007 YouTube diatribe. "If he is terrorizing the terrorists, if he is terrorizing America the terrorist, the biggest terrorist, I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist."



Dr. Naik recommends the death penalty for homosexuals and for apostasy from the faith, which he likens to wartime treason. He calls for India to be ruled by the medieval tenets of Shariah law. He supports a ban on the construction of non-Muslim places of worship in Muslim lands and the Taliban's bombing of the Bamiyan Buddhas. He says revealing clothes make Western women "more susceptible to rape." Not surprisingly, Dr. Naik believes that Jews "control America" and are the "strongest in enmity to Muslims."



Of course, every faith has its share of cranks; and, arguably, India has more than its share. But it's impossible to relegate Dr. Naik to Indian Islam's fringe. Earlier this year, the Indian Express listed him as the country's 89th most powerful person, ahead of Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen, eminent lawyer and former attorney general Soli Sorabjee, and former Indian Premier League cricket commissioner Lalit Modi. Dr. Naik's satellite TV channel, Peace TV, claims a global viewership of up to 50 million people in 125 countries. On YouTube, a search for Dr. Naik turns up more than 36,000 hits.



Nobody accuses Dr. Naik of direct involvement in terrorism, but those reportedly drawn to his message include Najibullah Zazi, the Afghan-American arrested last year for planning suicide attacks on the New York subway; Rahil Sheikh, accused of involvement in a series of train bombings in Bombay in 2006; and Kafeel Ahmed, the Bangalore man fatally injured in a failed suicide attack on Glasgow airport in 2007.



Nonetheless, when the doctor appears on a mainstream Indian news channel, his interviewers tend to be deferential. Senior journalist and presenter Shekhar Gupta breathlessly introduced his guest last year as a "rock star of televangelism" who teaches "modern Islam" and "his own interpretation of all the faiths around the world." A handful of journalists—among them Praveen Swami of the Hindu, and the grand old man of Indian letters, Khushwant Singh—have questioned Dr. Naik's views, but most take his carefully crafted image of moderation at face value.



At first glance, it's easy to understand why. Unlike the foaming mullah of caricature, Dr. Naik eschews traditional clothing for a suit and tie. His background as a doctor and his often gentle demeanor set him apart, as does his preaching in English. Unlike traditional clerics, Dr. Naik quotes freely from non-Muslim scripture, including the Bible and the Vedas. (You have to pay attention to realize that invariably this is either to disparage other faiths, or to interpret them in line with his version of Islam.) The depth of Dr. Naik's learning is easily apparent.



But this doesn't fully explain Dr. Naik's escape from criticism. It helps that Indians appear to have trouble distinguishing between free speech and hate speech. In a Western democracy, demanding the murder of homosexuals and the second-class treatment of non-Muslims would likely attract public censure or a law suit. In India, it goes unchallenged as long as it has a religious imprimatur. However, create a book or a painting that ruffles religious sentiment, as the writer Taslima Nasreen and the painter M. F. Husain both discovered, and either the government or a mob of pious vigilantes will strive to muzzle you.



In general, India accords extra deference to allegedly holy men of all stripes unlike, say, France, which strives to keep religion out of the public square. Taxpayers subsidize the Haj pilgrimage for pious Muslims and a similar, albeit much less expensive, journey for Hindus to a sacred lake in Tibet. This reflexive deference effectively grants the likes of Dr. Naik—along with all manner of Hindu and Christian charlatans—protection against the kind of robust scrutiny he would face in most other democracies.



Finally, unlike Hindu bigots, such as the World Hindu Council's Praveen Togadia, whose fiercest critics tend to be fellow Hindus, radical Muslims go largely unchallenged. The vast majority of Indian Muslims remain moderate, but their leaders are often fundamentalists and the community has done a poor job of policing its own ranks. Moreover, most of India's purportedly secular intelligentsia remains loath to criticize Islam, even in its most radical form, lest this be interpreted as sympathy for Hindu nationalism.



Unless this changes, unless Indians find the ability to criticize a radical Islamic preacher such as Dr. Naik as robustly as they would his Hindu equivalent, the idea of Indian secularism will remain deeply flawed.



Mr. Dhume, a columnist for WSJ.com, is writing a book on the new Indian middle class

[Guest]

[url="http://islamicterrorism.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/after-uk-"]After UK, Canada bans Zakir Naik[/url]

NEW DELHI, INDIA—Canada has cancelled the travel visa of a controversial television preacher from Mumbai who was scheduled to speak at an upcoming religious conference in Toronto.



Officials from the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi telephoned popular Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik earlier this week to say the 44-year-old doctor’s five-year, multiple-entry visa to Canada has been cancelled, said a colleague of Naik’s at the Islamic Research Foundation in Mumbai. The visa was issued just last year.

Appointed Prime Minister can make him his delegate.

[Guest]

[url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100705/wl_sthasia_afp/indiaeducationcrimereligion"]Indian teacher's hand cut off for alleged Mohammed slight[/url]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (AFP) – Two Indian men were arrested on Monday over an attack on a college teacher who had his hand cut off for setting an exam question that allegedly insulted Muslims, police said.

T. J. Joseph, 52, had his right arm severed at the wrist as he was returning home from church with his mother and sister on Sunday, and has since undergone an operation to have the limb sown back on.



Joseph, a lecturer at a private Christian-run college in the southern state of Kerala, has been on bail since April after being arrested over a question in internal exams that some Muslim groups claimed included an insulting reference to the Prophet Mohammed.



"An eight-member gang blocked his vehicle and chopped off his right arm," B. Sandya, inspector general of the local police told AFP. "It was a planned operation. We suspect a radical Muslim group who targeted him before."



Sandya said police had traced the attackers' vehicle and made two arrests.

Five doctors worked for 16 hours to re-attach Joseph's hand, but the outcome of the operation was uncertain.



In the Kerala assembly, state home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan described the attack as "Taliban-type" and "barbaric".



Joseph's school, Newman College, has declined to reveal the precise nature of the exam question behind the dispute to avoid further inflaming inter-religious tensions.

Where I can find Congress starting Dharna and Roy, Chatterji etc standing in front of TV and criticizing Islam etc.

[Guest]

[url="http://www.hindustantimes.com/Muslim-clerics-oppose-Right-to-Education/H1-Article1-570935.aspx"]Muslim clerics oppose Right to Education[/url]

Nearly a year after India passed the landmark right to education law making schooling compulsory, influential madrasa administrators are preparing to resist it, maintaining the law is a threat to Muslim religious schools. Seminary leaders from all sects will assemble in Delhi in July-end for consultations



“The Act recognizes only one type of school and only one type of education. It can be used to outlaw madrasas,” Mahmood Madni, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind leader, told HT.



Former vice-rector of the Darul Uloom seminary, Qari Mohammed Usman, also termed the law an attempt to gain “backdoor entry” into madrasas.



“The right to education law could be shaky on two grounds,” said Faizan Mustafa, vice chancellor of National Law University, Cuttack. First, it is seen as violating the right to set up minority institutions under Article 30 of the Constitution. Second, it stipulates that parents should make up 75 per cent of a school’s administrators. This violates another constitutional guarantee that gives minority institutions a virtual free hand in running their affairs.



Human Resource Development Minister [color="#FF0000"]Kapil Sibal, aware of the brewing dissent, is said to be considering an amendment to the existing law.[/color]



Muslim clerics had squarely opposed efforts of the previous UPA regime to regulate madrasas, and direct them to teach secular subjects as well.



Madni, however, said the forthcoming meeting would address the issues of “evolving a consensus among clerics to introduce secular subjects voluntarily and also seek changes to protect madrasas”.

They want to stay in stone age and want to drag others along with them.

Congress party is rubber stamp of Muslims and enemy of Hindus.

[G.Subramaniam]

A good move by the Kerala church



http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/jul/1...-shops.htm



Kerala's [ Images ] influential Catholic church has planned a silent boycott of Muslim-run shops in Muvattupuzha, Kothamangalam and Thodupuzha areas following the chopping of Professor T D Joseph's palm by alleged Popular Front activists.



Sources in Muvattupuzha told rediff.com say there is a silent movement spearheaded by the local parish with the support and connivance of the higher-ups in the community to boycott certain shops belonging to Muslims.



Sources in Thodupuzha said even without the Church's backing, the Roman Catholics of the area have stopped calling cabbies driven by Muslims and are even boycotting shops belonging to the Muslim community.



A senior police officer in Muvattupuzha said that unless immediate action is taken, communal polarisation could happen, which would have wider ramifications across the state.



More than the attack, what hurt the community was the way the Popular Front has praised the barbaric action. While a section of the community wants a tit-for-tit reply, the majority seeks to boycott the Muslim community.



A person, who attended the Sunday mass at the Nirmala Church in Muvattupuzha , the place were Prof Joseph was attacked, told rediff.com that the situation was grim and the priest had given a Sunday message, which included "everything but not attacking anyone openly".

[Guest]

[quote name='Mudy' date='12 July 2010 - 10:44 AM' timestamp='1278911197' post='107412']

[url="http://www.hindustantimes.com/Muslim-clerics-oppose-Right-to-Education/H1-Article1-570935.aspx"]Muslim clerics oppose Right to Education[/url]

They want to stay in stone age and want to drag others along with them.

Congress party is rubber stamp of Muslims and enemy of Hindus.

[/quote]

Mudy, The problem here is that the very same regulations that will complicate the existence of madrassas will also cause problems for Veda Pathashalas. Pretty much, all forms of vedic and smarta learning in the South will be wiped out. In one generation, we will see the last of the Veda Pandits.



This is something worth fighting for. This is something worth allying with the Muslims for.

[Pandyan]

Some veda patashalas have "MODEN" idukition along with traditional vedic education. So this dumb ass law wont totally destroy vedic tradition. Another example of inyaan state trying to impose sickularism on everyone.

[Guest]

[url="http://www.hindustantimes.com/Indian-fakir-arrested-for-beheading-infant-police/H1-Article1-577995.aspx"]Indian 'fakir' arrested for beheading infant: police[/url]

Police in southern India said Monday they had arrested a self-styled Muslim "fakir" for the gruesome murder of an infant boy in a ritual he believed would lend him supernatural powers. Abdul Gafoor, a mystic who claimed he could perform magical feats, had confessed to kidnapping the 18-month-old in the southern city of Madurai and then beheading him, police inspector Chidambaram Murugesan told the news agency.

"During questioning, he said he had a dream and heard a voice saying he would get extraordinary healing powers if he sacrificed a male child," Murugesan said.



Gafoor, aided by a female accomplice, had collected a bottle of the child's blood and then buried the torso, after which he performed various rituals before throwing the bottle into the sea.

Why he is referred as Indian not Muslim as media write when Hindus are involved.

[Bharatvarsh2]

[quote name='vishwas' date='12 July 2010 - 08:17 AM' timestamp='1278940197' post='107419']

Mudy, The problem here is that the very same regulations that will complicate the existence of madrassas will also cause problems for Veda Pathashalas. Pretty much, all forms of vedic and smarta learning in the South will be wiped out. In one generation, we will see the last of the Veda Pandits.



This is something worth fighting for. This is something worth allying with the Muslims for.

[/quote]

Just found something related to this issue:

(draftt petition)Exemption to certain clause Right to Children Education



athAtaH pavamAnAnAmevAbhyArohaH |

sa vai khalu prastota sAma prastauti|

sa yatra prastuyAt tadetAni japed

asato mA sadgamaya

tamaso mA jyotirgamaya

mRutyormAmRutam

gamayeti |



BRuhadAraNyakopaniShat 1.iii.28







The Hon'ble Minister for Human Resource Development,

Government of India





Sub:



1. Exemption of vedic education from the compulsory requirements of the Right of

Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009

2. Considering Traditional Vedic Education to be in the definition of Education

as conceived in Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009

3. Assistance and support for capacity building and additional training to fully

empower the rights of the child to avail any opportunity



Dear Sir,



1. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 is a

commendable Act towards implementing the inalienable rights of children, the

future citizens of Bharath - India.



2. The Rights of the Hindu Child includes its inalienable right to education in

the traditions, culture, tradition and heritage given by the Vedic system of

education. This has the forte for the oral rendering of Veda Mantra that has not

had a phoneme altered from the time its was handed down to us thousands of years

back. UNESCO has declared this as a unique but endangered Bharath and World

Heritage.



3. The available corpus of vedic literature of Bharath including the veda

samhitam brahmana, smrithi, vedangam, purana, mahabharatha and ramayana, itihas,

vyakarna, gaNitam, mimamsa and others is the largest collection of ancient

literature from a single country in the world!



4. These have been beacons of enlightenment for thousands of years and they

continue to be so even today.



5. The subject matter in the vedas and shastras are subjects of intense study

globally even today. Almost all universities in India and overseas have

departments of Sanskrit and Indian language studies. Literally millions of web

sites can be seen that are dedicated for study and practice of Hinduism.



6. The subject matters in the veda has provided key inputs for growth in the

science and technology at advanced level in subjects as varied as linguistics

and phonetics, astronomy, biology, medicine, archeology, political

administration, mathematics, physics and medicine including yoga, health and

well being, medicine, and ayurveda to mention a few. Such inputs have provided

impetus for software algorithms, natural language processing, artificial

intelligence and robotics, and even space and cosmology studies. The wonderful

work being done by Ayush under auspices of Government of India needs no

elaboration.



7. We represent the interests of the Vedic Pathashala system of education. This

system has intensive, residential and full time education and training for young

boys under the tutelage of trained scholars., the gurus.



8. The students of the pathashala have additional needs such as using computers

and training and education for vocations other than their traditional roles. It

is our desire that these children can exercise options for secular and

professional roles including opportunities for higher studies if they so choose

when they come of age.



9. There is need for building up the capacities of the veda pathashala to meet

these challenges. This is monumental work needing a lot of resources.

Nevertheless this not an insurmountable problem.



10. Many Bharatiya have done this and risen to be in the galaxy of the great

personages in Bharath. Dr.C.Rajagopalacari, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, Dr.Bhagavantham,

Dr.PV.Narsimha Rao and others are too well known. Many others have have risen to

positions of being scientists, directors and able administrators and

professional people having very high qualifications in both vaidik and heritage

knowledge and conventional university degrees in India and overseas.



11. We are looking forward to Exemption of vedic education from the compulsory

requirements of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009



12. We are looking forward to enhanced support and assistance for capacity

building for veda pathashalas to fulfil the spirit and letter of the lawful

rights of he child.



Thanking you



with regards



Signed –



http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hinducivil...sage/47590

Pathetic.



Hindus have to write petition to the scum in the Indian gov't who are trying to destroy everything about this 5000 year old civilization.



Thanks for making the above post vishwas because so many Hindus are semi Christianized or Westernized and reflexively anti Muslim on every issue.



The Indian gov't should stop trying to meddle into issues that don't concern them.

[Bharatvarsh2]

NOTE ON VEDIC/ SANSKRIT PATHASHALAS AND THE EFFECT OF THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO

FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT, 2009 ON THEIR FUNCTIONING



INTRODUCTION



Over the last few decades, Vedic and Shastric education has become somewhat

marginalised with 'educated' modern households hardly considering Shastric

education as an option. The reasons could primarily be economic. However, there

was also a singular lack of recognition in the mainstream to the skills

developed over years of traditional Sanskrit and Vedic education. The result was

that only those who were strongly traditional or economically deprived would

send their wards to Vedic Pathashalas for pursing education of the traditional

arts and sciences in a specific and disciplined manner. The curriculum in such

Pathashalas is quite rigorous with a 6-8 year program. Such Pathashalas exist

all across the country. The products of such Pathashalas would go on to become

religious leaders, priests, traditional scholars, literary gems, ayurvedic

practitioners etc. Society still looks up to such traditionally educated

scholars/ practitioners to guide daily living and understanding of the

scriptural knowledge. In a way, it is these individuals who provide Hindu

society with its identity. Most of the students from such institutions go on to

lead fulfilled life and are respected in society. Financial security is usually

not a major problem. The Vedic/ Sanskrit Pathashalas usually accept students for

induction in the age group of 6-10 years and it is in this context that the

recently introduced compulsory and mandatory schooling in the 6 – 14 year age

groups in government recognized elementary schools becomes a new challenge to

traditional Sanskrit/Vedic learning.



The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has very lofty

ambitions to provide universal and compulsory education to all children in the

age group of 6 – 14 years. However, its enthusiasm to ensure universal primary

education has resulted in a universal definition of education in terms of a

conventional school. It does not specifically recognise alternate modes of

education like Vedapathashalas/ Gurukulas/ Madarsas etc.[size="5"] The mandatory and

compulsory nature of the 2009 Act has already started discouraging the small

number of traditionally minded from sending their children for training in

traditional Sanskrit/ Vedic subjects. This can potentially imply a deathblow to

a number of traditional schools of learning which were otherwise attracting a

small but dedicated group of students. At a time when there is an ongoing

decline and loss of Vedic/ Sanskrit knowledge, it is necessary to assure those

who opt for traditional education that their choice is respected and their

ability to do so will not be hampered.[/size] It is to kept in mind that although

Sanskrit per se is a language of national, if not international relevance, the

actual number of users of the language comprise a linguistic minority. It is the

duty of the State to take measures to protect the interest of such a minority

represented by the system and products of the Vedic Pathashala system. There is

a constitutional guarantee for the protection of such rights vide Article 29 and

30 of the Constitution. It is to be kept in mind that vide Article 351 of the

Constitution, it is also the duty of the State to promote the spread of the

Hindi language drawing primarily on Sanskrit for its vocabulary.



Recently, the HRD Minister, Mr Kapil Sibal convened a meeting with muslim bodies

demonstrating for the exemption of the Madarsa system from provisions of the

2009 Act. Giving in to the pressure of the representations, the Minister has

promised to carve out such an exception. While the right of the students to

follow the traditional Madarsa system of education appears to have been

protected, it is necessary that similar protection should be granted to other

affected persons like those who decide to study in Vedic Pathashalas. There

should not appear to be any discrimination in the manner in which different

religious groups are dealt with especially in matters of the traditional systems

of education which are crucial to keep alive the fabric and continuity of any

society. It would thus be immediately necessary to either suitably amend the

2009 Act or provide in the Rules thereof for traditional education systems that

address the issue of primary education in a different manner and which often

prove improved solutions.





GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PATHASHALA SYSTEM OF EDUCATION



Vedic/ Sankrit Pathashalas and Tols exist all over the country. Most students

attending these Pathashalas enroll themselves or are inducted by their parents

at the age of 6 – 10. There is no specific uniform curriculum or board

throughout the country to regulate or define the nature of education in such

Pathashalas. While the Sanskrit Parishad had recently mooted the idea of a

Central Sanskrit Board, the same has yet not been acted upon or operationalised.

In the meantime, there is a variation from state to state with regard to the

nature and extent of regulation of education in the Pathashalas. The ancient

system of Gurukulas did not have any fixed text or examinations, but depended on

the intimate exchange of knowledge between a Guru and Shishya who stayed

together. There has been an increasing trend to adopt some form of

standardization of the examination or certification of the completion of the

Pathashala education. Social and religious organizations apart from Government

bodies like the Maharishi Sandipani Rastriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan provide

different certifications in recognition of the proficiency attained by students

completing the Pathashala course. However such certifications do not offer an

opportunity for the students to enter mainstream academia. It is necessary to

revive and implement the idea of a Central Sanskrit Board that will give Vedic

Pathashala students an opportunity to gain recognition in the mainstream and

provide them with options for pursuing further academic and economic

opportunities.



Most Pathashalas focus on preserving the oral tradition of the Vedas. The

rigorous schedule trains students on the nuances of correct rendition of vedic

chants. It also provides them with an instruction on the performance of rituals

and the attendant rules. Most importantly, it provides the students with a

thorough grounding on the basic tenets of a lifestyle that traditionally defines

society. This enables the students to play a leadership role in society by

providing direction in social and religious matters. Some Pathashalas also

provide instruction on Sanskrit texts and an introduction to the Shastras like

Vyakarana (grammar), Nyaya (logic), Sahitya (literature) etc. Students from such

Pathashalas often decide to pursue higher education in Sanskrit universities and

under learned Pandits and play the crucial role in interpreting and presenting

the collective wisdom of the Shastras for the benefit of mankind. Such scholars

who had their basic grounding in the traditional Pathashalas go on to become

Ayurveda practitioners, Astrologers, Logicians, Grammarians etc. Although the

full fledged instruction and study of Vedic and Sanskrit studies is a full time

activity in itself and does not lend itself to being a minor component of a

conventional school curriculum, some pathashalas have of late begun to introduce

subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and Computer acquaintance to instill

confidence in their students to interact with mainstream society. Some students

also appear for examinations conducted by the National Open School and obtain

certificates allowing them to participate in the mainstream society. The

flexible study options allowed by non regular options like the National Open

Schools helped the students manage their time effectively in the Pathashalas.



The report of the Sanskrit Commission (1956-57) has provided some description of

the Pathashala – Tol system prevalent across the country for the specialized

impartation of Vedic/ Sanskrit education. The report had captured the state of

affairs as it existed at the time of independence. The report had also provided

recommendations for revitalizing and improving Sanskrit education at the

elementary and higher levels. It is a fact that while some progress has occurred

in the Pathashala system, there has also been decline in some aspects with a

need to revisit the task of examining and improving the task of elementary

education in the Pathashala system. Given the crucial social and scholastic role

played by the Pathashala system, the efforts to undermine its contributions and

denying it recognition would immensely harm our precious heritage and harm the

interests of society at large.



THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT, 2009 AND ITS EFFECT

ON THE PATHASHALA/ TOL SYSTEM OF VEDIC AND SANSKRIT EDUCATION



The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been

implemented with a view to provide free and compulsory education to children in

the age group of 6 – 14 years. The Act was notified for implementation from

April 1st, 2010. The 2009 Act was meant to put into action the fundamental right

guaranteed by the Constitution by the 86th amendment which incorporated Article

21A to be a fundamental right. The said Article 21A reads as follows: Right to

education.- "21A. The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all

children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by

law, determine."

It is a fact that the 2009 Act has chosen to compulsorily implement an idea of

education that seeks to draw inspiration from the conventional system of

schooling with no inclusion of other valid sources of education like

Pathashalas, Madarsas, alternate schools and home education. The 2009 Act

provides for a specific description of a school which excludes from its purview

descriptions of traditional Pathashalas and the nature of education carried out

therein. Most of the instructions and training in the Pathashalas follow the

traditional norms and they do not correspond to the conventional notion of a

curriculum. Teachers do not have B.ed. or other certifications and are

recognized on terms not necessarily recognized by the 2009 Act. The Pathashalas

do not necessarily follow a class pattern like a conventional school. Despite

years of deliberations o the matter, the Central Government has not provided a

modicum of recognition for most Pathashalas with the effect that most

Pathashalas face the scepter of de-recognition with respect to the narrow

definitions of the 2009 Act. This is not a reflection of the Pathashalas as such

but more an inability of the 2009 Act to deal with systems of education other

than the conventional system of schooling. In a way, the 2009 Act, rather than

providing a compulsory provision for education is instead enforcing compulsory

schooling corresponding to a standard definition in the age groups of 6-14

years. [size="5"]This has the effect of ignoring and threatening the vibrant diversity and

the freedom of choice otherwise available to all citizens of the country. If

parents desire to educate their children in a certain manner that will best

reflect their aspirations and beliefs, there should be freedom to do so and the

State should not overtly interfere in such private specifics as the exact nature

and manner of the education being provided. [/size]This would amount to a micro

management and interference in individual choices and social and religious

matters not contemplated in the Constitution and contrary to the letter and

spirit of the Constitution.

The 2009 Act has already started threatening the continuation of the Pathashala

system of education. The schedule defining a recognizable school is already too

narrow with insufficient space to provide for the description of the Pathashala

system. Due to the compulsory nature of the elementary education as defined in

the 2009 Act and the provision of a certificate as contemplated by Section 30,

the lack of such a certificate would be most damaging to the future prospects

and options of a child. This has led to parents forcibly withdrawing children

from Vedic Pathashalas whose education would not otherwise qualify for such a

certificate. The 2009 Act is therefore unwittingly affecting the very foundation

of the traditional arts and sciences by choking and derecognizing the Pathashala

system which continues to supply the basic body of individuals who carry on the

traditions. This is particularly disturbing in an age and time which is

increasingly looking to alternate sources of knowledge and information to deal

with the world's problems. At a time when recognition for the Vedas and Shastric

subjects' contribution to mankind is growing internationally, it is disturbing

to consider a scenario when the very source of this fountain of knowledge is

threatened.

It is necessary to amend the Schedule in the manner provided by Section 20 of

the 2009 Act to bring about a broader description of the modes and options of

elementary education available. The national curriculum should necessarily offer

multiple options that allow and recognize the vedic/Sanskrit pathashala system.

There is an urgent need to instate a Central Board for Sanskrit studies that

will provide recognition to the body of traditional scholars who pursue

traditional arts and sciences.



EMAIL SENT TO THE HRD MINISTER ON 20th July, 2010

Dear Mr Sibal,



I am approaching the HRD Ministry because of some anomalies I have noticed in

the application of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory

Education Act, 2009. I am sure that the Central Government is

implementing the Act with the best of intentions so as to ensure no

child is left out from the right to being educated. However, by the

imposition of detailed rules and guidelines regarding the nature of

education to be imposed, the Government has created certain anomalies.

The government has standardised the syllabus and has fixed the number

of hours of education in specified schools. This includes fixing the

number of days to attend school etc. While all this is fine from the

point of view of the millions of children who are absolutely bereft of

opportunity or education, the Act nowhere recognises longstanding

traditional education systems which existed parallel to the

conventional education.



The vedic pathashalas all over the country represent one such system.

The islamic madarsas represent another. In the vedic pathashalas,

students are expected to follow a rigorous programme of education from

the age of around 6 for a period of 6-12 years during which they are

trained in recitation of vedas and are required to follow certain

disciplines including dietary and lifestyle stipulations. In most such

pathashalas, the students stay away from their parents under the

guidance of a guru. Although few in number, it is these pathashalas

that are expected to train and educate spiritual leadership in Indian

society. While many of the products of such a system decide to follow

the profession of a Purohit or Archaka, a few go on to learn the

Shastras and pursue higher education in Sanskrit scholastic

disciplines. It is such people that Hindu society by and large looks

up to for guidance in daily living including the performance of

important festivals. Important events like Yagnas, marriages etc are

conducted under the guidance of the alumni of vedic pathashalas. Some

of the more scholastically inclined keep alive the numerous shastric

traditions including the understanding and exposition of sacred books

like the Ramayana and Puranas.



The products of vedic pathashalas may not be adept in science,

mathematics and english, but are in the most part fully literate in

the local language of the State and also have a working knowledge of

sanskrit. Most importantly, they are schooled in the discipline and

lifestyle that defines Hindu society and is necessary to keep our

cultural heritage alive. It is also a fact that the nature of the

Pathashala/ Gurukula system is such that it cannot be a part time

activity playing second fiddle to a full time school education as

contemplated in the 2009 Act.



From the viewpoint of protecting the character and traditions of Hindu

society, the well intentioned, but deficient provisions

of the 2009 Act are especially damaging. The Act does not provide for

any exception and does not recognise the value of traditional

education systems. One possible solution is to encompass Gurukula/

Veda pathashala education as a valid source of primary education.

Certain broad outlines can be specified in this regard. While there

may be legal methods of

challenging the efforts of the Act to standardise all

aspects of primary education, it is also important for the Government

to introspect and make necessary corrections based on the

circumstances in Indian society. The

damage that the strict enforcement of the Act can cause to Hindu

society by forcibly diverting

willing students from the Veda Pathashalas can be devastating to the

Sanatana Dharma way of life. There is need to assure those intending

to study in Vedic Pathashalas that their choice of education and

lifestyle will not be denied

because of inadequate legislation. It is also necessary to

ensure some sort of recognition for Gurukula/ vedic pathashala

education so that there is a greater possibility and choice for such

students to integrate with the mainstream. This will be beneficial to

society in general.



It is reported in the media that Muslim bodies are coming to the

forefront by seeking exemption from the 2009 Act provisions for

students opting for madarsa education. In their estimate, the right to

a madarsa education is important and necessary to keep up the

structure and basis of Muslim society. Given the ancient roots of

traditional Indian education and the shastric system, it is imperative

that the Gurukul/ Veda Pathashala system be similarly exempted if the

Act cannot be otherwise modified to recognise them.



I request you to look into the issue and take steps to initiate

corrective legislative actions. Concerned stakeholders and affected

students/ institutions may be consulted in the process.



With regards,Krishnan

Krishnan Venkataraman,

Advocate, Contract Management Consultant,

B Tech, MS, LLB

152, Maxworth Nagar, Kovilambakkam, Chennai - 600117,

M 96770 66635

krishnan.v78@...



http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hinducivil...sage/47589

[HareKrishna]

according to this law,are madrases and catholic schools also to be close?

[Bharatvarsh2]

Don't know about Xtian schools.



Madrasas won't be closed, they got an exemption or will get one.

[G.Subramaniam]

Recent Articles at Milligazette are openly seditious