Vendetta Vigil
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->So, last month defence minister Pranab Mukherjee, HRD minister Arjun Singh, home minister Shivraj Patil, urban development minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and MoS for science and technology Kapil Sibalâall from the Congressâmet informally. The last named was included because of his legal background and his role as the Congress spokesperson in the run-up to the elections when he highlighted some of the scams in the NDA government. A few days later, there were reports in the press suggesting a formal group of ministers (GoM) had been set up to investigate instances of corruption in the previous government. Embarrassed lest the government looked 'vindictive', there was an official denial about the setting up of the GoM which, technically speaking, was correct. But government and Congress sources both confirmed that the ministers had met and that follow-up meetings will take place once the Opposition quietens down.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Congress Govt: Indian school holidays to be 'Christianized' now</b>
<b>After 'detoxifying' history textbooks, HRD minister Arjun Singh has turned his attention to 'desaffronising' school holidays</b>.
Following complaints from Christians over last year's decision by then HRD minister M M Joshi to have the winter break in January instead of December, Arjun Singh has decided to revert to the old system. <b>The 10-day break in all Centre-run Kendriya Vidyalayas will now begin from December 22, instead of January 5.</b>
"This (previous government's decision) had caused inconvenience to minority communities, especially Christians. It is hoped the change will assuage the feelings of the minority community," the HRD ministry said on Thursday.
While the official reason for change of dates by <b>the NDA government had been "excessive weather conditions" (first week of January being the coldest in northern states), </b>many suspected a "saffron conspiracy". <b>Some major Hindu festivals like Lohri, Pongal and Makar Sankranti occur between January 5 and 19. The decision was criticised as it allowed holidays during Hindu festivals, depriving Christian students and teachers from celebrating Christmas.</b>
www.christreview.org
This (previous government's decision) had caused inconvenience to minority communities, especially Christians. It is hoped the change will assuage the feelings of the minority community," the HRD ministry said on Thursday.
So Who really told these morons that the majority community should suffer ? .Note the word assuage
<b>Muddle called UPA</b>-Dina Nath Mishra -Pioneer
After six months of the UPA Government, it's time to compare it with
the NDA. First, the structural differences: The NDA alliance was harmonious. The BJP was in Government with the Shiv Sena, the Akali Dal and the Biju Janata Dal and the north-eastern regional parties. Its other allies were the DMK, Samata Party (JDU), Trinamool Congress, National Conference and other smaller parties with which it fought the 13th Lok Sabha election. The BJP also fought the Lok Sabha polls with the TDP and the INLD, which had supported the NDA Government from outside. Only once did the TDP hint at withdrawing support and that was if Narendra Modi, the Gujarat Chief Minister continued after the Gujarat riots. In its governance, the NDA strengthened federalism irrespective of the party ruling the States.
In contrast, the Congress and the Left Front fought each other in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. The nature of the Left Front's outside support to the UPA Government is also different to what the TDP and INLD gave the NDA. Communists, in the heydays of the Soviet Union, had perfected the art of finishing allies from within and outside. In India, too, the Left Front has marginalised and made its partners totally dependent. The CPM has even resorted to extreme violence. Today, the CPM's protests ring the loudest, taking over the Opposition space. The Congress is bound to pay the price for this outside support in the the Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura Assembly elections.
Its noteworthy that the Left Front has always been winning between 45 to 55 Lok Sabha seats in the last few decades. But the six-odd more seats it won this time have gone to their head.
The Left Front is dictating the Government on every issue including foreign policy. No Tom, Dick and Harry of the Left Front ever forgets to mention that the UPA Government is totally dependent upon them. The result has been that the Manmohan Singh Government has never gained the stature, which a central government of India deserves. The PM has to work under the CPM, the super PM and is sandwiched by a crude Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav.
Further, mafias have occupied the central seat of power for the first time. Just this week, Laloo Prasad Yadav's bail had been extended for three months.
The criminalisation of the Central Government has now been internalised. For the first time since Independence, the Muslim League, which was responsible for the Partition, has a place in the Council of Ministers. This was a deliberate decision of the Congress high command, which was reflected in its other similar decisions including 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh. In its desperate bid for power, the Congress even decided to take the support from banned leftist groups like the PWG in Andhra Pradesh and the ISI-linked ULFA in Assam. It further boosted the morale of the militants by announcing the POTA repeal before the Lok Sabha poll at the cost of national interest.
To cap it, the UPA has thrown democratic decency to the winds. First, it removed five Governors for links with the RSS. Then it unceremoniously removed Chief of Censor Board Anupam Kher, a non-controversial film personality. Then Home Minister Shivraj Patil informed Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the Tamil Nadu Governor had been removed for failing to host the ceremonial party on Independence day. This ridiculous reasoning prompted a reader of 'The Hindu' to write to the editor offering that he was ready to throw a party daily if he is appointed Governor.
Further, the UPA's internal relations are less cohesive than the NDA. The tug-of- war between the Congress and the NCP after the Maharashtra elections and the manner in which the less-performing partner brow-beat the better party showed that no rule of politics had been adhered to.
The trust between the two was missing. In fact, the UPA as a whole lacks trust. The votes and seats thrown up by 'Election 2004' show the BJP and the Congress to be neck-and-neck. But having attained power, the Congress is showing itself to be at its vindictive best. Arrogance has become its way as Shivraj Patil demonstrated in telling Jayalalithaa: "This is our style".
Meaning they don't consult, they just inform.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Coddling the Left
The Pioneer Edit Desk
If Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia angered the Left by disengaging its economic think tank from the Planning Commission, it was left to Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh to placate this all-important lobby. This he has done in more than fair measure by giving fuzzy-brained jholawallahs the chance to mould the minds of future generations of Indians by placing them on NCERT's steering committee for curriculum review. For the Indian Left, this is undoubtedly a dream come true. Under Nehruvian patronage, Leftist social scientists were required to jockey for positions in national intellectual institutions. Centrists and retainers of the first family gave them perennial competition. Such cohabitation had its moments of frustration because the Congress's wishy-washy commitment to socialism and secularism gave the Left a feeling that it was being used simply as a pliable ally. There were rewards, however. Mohit Sen's autobiography recalled how a small group of self-styled "eminent" historians "won" the freedom movement for the Left, which could not have been possible without the late education minister Nurul Hasan's benign support.
Now Mr Arjun Singh has sought to revive that golden age for the Left by turning over to it NCERT, its most coveted reward, as it assures a chance to put into play mind control techniques on a scale unimaginable to even George Orwell. Now ersatz socialists and phoney secularists will have a field day ripping apart the nationalist format leading to emasculation of the national temper and further division of society. One of the sure casualties of the exercise would be the Vajpayee-era emphasis on value education based on appreciation of religion. The loonie Left considers this "communal" even though the international experience has been positive in that it engenders greater understanding between people of different faiths in multi-cultural societies. The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgement in September 2002, upheld the validity of this experiment.
It will be the steering committee's job to develop a new National Curriculum Framework for School Education. This is a wholly unwarranted exercise. The Framework, which is now in force, was developed in 2000 and lengthy litigation ensured the delay in its implementation till 2003-04. So in less than two years, Mr Singh has burdened the country's school community with another overhaul whereas the Plan of Action (1993) of the National Policy on Education (1986) prescribes only a five-yearly review system. Besides, if one goes strictly by the book, the NPE itself is due for review in 2006. So why go through the psychologically-and financially-bitter process of putting into force a new Framework when it would be rendered automatically irrelevant once the new NPE comes into force? The short, and perhaps the only, answer lies in Mr Singh's overweening ambitions. The more he pleases the Left, the better are his prospects. But the cost of this will tell upon the credibility of the country's education system.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>HRD Ministry sacks IIAS board</b> - NDTV <!--emo&:thumbdown--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif' /><!--endemo-->
NDTV Correspondent
Friday, November 26, 2004 (Shimla):
The HRD Ministry today sacked the board of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS) in Shimla.
The ministry claims that the board was sacked because they refused to cooperate with the investigations being conducted into financial irregularities and appointments made by the previous NDA government.
Prof J S Grewal has been appointed as the president and chairperson of the reconstituted governing body of the IIAS.
The government has also appointed six new vice-chancellors and 24 educationists as members of the Council of IIAS for the remaining term of the Council till April 10, 2005.
<b>The UPA goveernment has dismissed ALL 300 principals of the Kendriya Vidyalays</b>.
From Asian age...
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Rip Van UPA
- By Siddhartha Reddy
Worldwide, every government begins with a six-month honeymoon, the UPA began with a hibernation. It has been the sleepiest beginning ever for any newly elected government. But for the noise made by the communists, the UPA would have slipped into a coma.
The government is still perceived to be run by Sonia Gandhi, and Manmohan Singh is considered Her Majestyâs Office-Keeper, hibernating while the economy worsens, the Northeast explodes, Kashmir gets messier and Hindu anger escalates against an insensitive regime.
The problem is, the Sonia-Manmohan combination is bereft of any leadership content: no class, oratory, communication skill, nor impressive ideas and comprehension of governance. With such captains the UPAâs rudderless ship aimlessly drifts into the storm of 2005 and will be shipwrecked by incompetence.
The two are not committed to strengthening Karunanidhi nor courageous enough to fight Jayalalitha. They pamper a Taslimuddin and punish a Shankaracharya! They drop the corruption cases against Satish Sharma and allow the framing of cases against the Kanchi Shankaracharya! Their priorities are completely skewed.
On corruption, the government keeps yawning except for waking up to take over the scam-ridden Global Trust Bank. On NDA scams the government is busy snoring. It slept even when Amarinder unconstitutionally denied Haryana its water. The cost of this six-month hibernation will soon come to light.
No major initiative has been taken to have a nationwide impact as the government sleep-walks without any objective, boringly awaiting final departure. No other government has handled Parliament or Opposition worse than the UPA, but of course the Buddah (Oldiesâ) Janata Party is busy destroying itself and the only opposition to the UPA is coming from the communists. The Chinese-Maoist conspiracy to destabilise Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Telangana and Karnataka is going unnoticed.
This is the first time in India that we have a Cabinet that does not function as a cohesive unit, based on mutual trust, cooperation and coordination. It is full of egocentric individuals and lacklustre nominees of party bosses. It is a bunch more preoccupied with legal battles than performance. Just check out the Lalu-Paswan brawl, the TRS-Congress spat and the Manmohan-Natwar anonymity! While an India-Pakistan summit meeting is possible, a Manmohan-Natwar summit is impossible. The Prime Minister does not want his foreign minister. The foreign minister does not like a junior being Prime Minister. So either Sonia Gandhi has a meeting with both of them, or finds replacements. Otherwise, hawks will torpedo the Shaukat Aziz-Manmohan Singh agreement on India-Pakistan banking cooperation.
Parliament should put an end to the unnecessary drain of the public exchequer. Soniaâs people are bossing over the Cabinet as an extra-monitoring outfit resulting in the drain of crores of rupees. Natwarâs people are burdening the exchequer with a foreign policy advisory committee. Mani Shankar Aiyarâs people are having a ball with the ex-IFS committee, paid for by diesel-petrol-cooking gas buyers. The ruling family makes weekly trips to London (son Rahul) and Dubai (son-in-law Robert) with their security, spending crores on travel bills, paid for by poor Indians. So all expenditure details should be given to Parliament.
Manmohan is a Prime Minister without authority, without any power to punish or reward. He cannot change portfolio, induct or drop. He is not even expected to coordinate the Cabinet functioning. The allies are their own bosses. So to stay occupied, he goes on foreign and domestic tours. For other countries, he is after all the Prime Minister.
The chief ministers occasionally need the PM to announce Central largesse or inaugurate mega-projects. So routine ribbon cutting, banquets and empty speech making are becoming the rule of the day. When he visits a complex state like Jammu & Kashmir and speaks on complex issues, without debating with his allies and the concerned ministers to formulate an agreed agenda, then a fiasco happens.
The ministers are not answerable to the PM. They consult Sonia Gandhi on political appointments and brief her on policy matters. But she doesnât comprehend, therefore, their policies are her policies.
HRD minister Arjun Singh performs according to the dictates of those who vote for the Congress, and those who donât, disapprove of his agenda. He would be an ideal home minister but Sonia Gandhi doesnât trust him.
Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee belied the alliesâ expectations by not exposing NDA corruption in defence deals. He prefers finance or home, but the Congress president has no such plans for him.
Home minister Shivraj Patil is a staunch Sonia loyalist. He is a victim of fellow Maharashtriansâ media-campaign. The Northeast is being mishandled, the process of changing governors is being bungled, and the Shankaracharya crisis is getting messier. Patil is taking the flak for Sonia Gandhiâs lack of wisdom. Sonia could induct A.K. Antony as replacement.
Finance minister P. Chidambaramâs smart-talk is being negated by an unimpressive economic scenario. The communists want him to go. Inflation is galloping, incomes are dwindling, unemployment and prices are rising, and the crisis is being compounded by a rise in petrol-diesel prices internationally. The next budget could be presented by Manmohan.
Foreign minister Natwar Singh is Sonia Gandhiâs favourite. She doesnât understand foreign affairs, but with even national security adviser J.N. Dixit (a Natwar appointee) advising a change of foreign minister, she realises that Natwar is a wrong choice. The bottom line: she would be delighted if Natwar ceases to be foreign minister.
Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is competent. He won Maharashtra by inspiring confidence in farmers. But he canât be PM with just nine MPs. He is keen to get into either North or South Block heading a powerful ministry which he has been promised by Sonia Gandhi, for letting the Congress have its own chief minister in Maharashtra.
Railway minister Lalu Yadavâs performance is better than all his predecessors from Bihar. But during Cabinet meetings he overrules the PM. The alliance appreciates, though not the Opposition, that he allowed a Godhra inquiry.
Even the stars donât want to disturb the UPAâs hibernation. The astrologically favourable time for a major Cabinet reshuffle is only after January 15. But Shibu Soren insists, and Manmohan inducts him with a yawn.
Sonia Gandhi would have been Prime Minister, but for President Kalam. Whoever would have accompanied her to Kalam, would have been PM. She gave the crown to Manmohan to be just a titular, decorative head until alternate arrangements are made.
If Soniaâs nominee succeeds Kalam, she hopes to be Prime Minister. If the government lasts till 2009, Rahul hopes to be PM. Before that, if Manmohan stumbles, then A.K. Antony could be PM. In 2005, if the allies form a secular front with 200 MPs, their nominee will be PM.
Maharashtrians have already given a verdict on the UPA: unimpressive. That the Congress-NCP is in power there, is because of Sharad Pawar. After six months of hibernation, itâs time for the UPA to wake up. Another six months would make the communists enforce euthanasia, the mercy-killing of this government.
Siddhartha Reddy can be contacted at siddharthareddy@hotmail.com
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300 KV principals dismissed and not a frown in our mediamen.
Truly, we live in amazing times.
<!--QuoteBegin-vijnan_anand+Nov 30 2004, 04:23 AM-->QUOTE(vijnan_anand @ Nov 30 2004, 04:23 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> 300 KV principals dismissed and not a frown in our mediamen.
Truly, we live in amazing times. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They were all hindu fundamentalists appointed by the previous hindu fundamentalist BJP to brainwash the innocent children. The media is highly secular, so it doesn't condemn such righteous actions. <!--emo&  --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rolleyes.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Advani blacked out of Jha's Loknayak
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->When Doordarshan decided to telecast Loknayak on Sunday night in a prime time slot, it was assumed that the controversy surrounding Prakash Jha's documentation of Jai Prakash Narayan's life and the dark days of Emergency, would finally settle down. But in a decision that is bound to keep the pot boiling, the Prasar Bharati altogether blacked out the interview of leader of Opposition LK Advani.   Â
Sources told The Pioneer that Mr Advani's interview figured in two segments of the original draft of the film submitted by Mr Prakash Jha to Prasar Bharati. In his interview, Mr Advani reminisced about JP's role in the `second freedom struggle' and took a dig at the intelligence agencies for convincing Indira Gandhi that she would sweep the post-Emergency Lok Sabha polls. However, no portion of the interview figured in the one-hour forty-five minute telecast.
The eleventh hour removal of Mr Advani's name is in addition to several others changes that the Prasar Bharati carried out in the original draft of the film. For example, a quote of Chandigarh District Magistrate Deva Shayam that in order to disable an ailing JP, Sanjay Gandhi had ensured that he did not get proper treatment in the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Research, Chandigarh was removed.
Of course, this was done with the consent of Mr Prakash Jha, who was convinced by the Prasar Bharati officials that retaining the allegation will could be defamatory and leave open the possibilities of legal actions.
The film carried interviews of only three BJP leaders - Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sushil Kumar Modi and Ravishanker Prasad - contrary to allegations that it was a Saffron-dominated propaganda commissioned by the previous NDA Government. Veteran Jansangh leader Navajo Deshmukh makes a fleeting appearance in the closing second of the film.
Just one line of Mr Deshmukh's interview has been retained and a scene showing Navajo Deshmukh sheltering JP from police lathicharge on December 4, 1974 in Patna, was removed altogether. It is a recorded fact that Navajo bore the full brunt of police brutality and his hand was fractured during the incident.
The episode is remembered as one of the most poignant moments of the JP movement. Those from the non-BJP camps whose interviews have been included are former Prime Minister Chandrasekhar, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, journalist Kuldip Nayyar, RJD leader Shivanand Tewari, Nirmala Deshpande, Sarvodya leader and JP's close associate Ramamurti, secretary of Gandhi Pratisthan, Patna, Dr Razi Ahmad, JP's secretary DR Satchitanand and several others.
Says former Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravishanker Prasad, who had commissioned the film to Prakash Jha. "I am angry and saddened that a man of the stature of Mr Advani, who shared a close association with JP does not figure in the film.
The decision shows the petty attitude of the UPA government," he said. In his life time, the veteran freedom fighter and Socialist icon whose call for 'Sampoorn Kranti' stirred the imagination of the nation in the early 70s and led to the imposition of Emergency, was jailed and tormented by the Congress regime. Ironically, three decades later, again a Congress-led regime has chosen to play a farce with JP's life history.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-bgravi+Nov 29 2004, 11:39 AM-->QUOTE(bgravi @ Nov 29 2004, 11:39 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-vijnan_anand+Nov 30 2004, 04:23 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vijnan_anand @ Nov 30 2004, 04:23 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> 300 KV principals dismissed and not a frown in our mediamen.
Truly, we live in amazing times. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They were all hindu fundamentalists appointed by the previous hindu fundamentalist BJP to brainwash the innocent children. The media is highly secular, so it doesn't condemn such righteous actions. <!--emo& --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rolleyes.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The media is also under UPA and its foriegn supporters.
(fwd)
Dr Paul Dinakaran, an <b>evangelist appointed by Arjun Singh </b>as a member of SSA
Dr Paul Dinakaran, an evangelist who has cheated so many students in
Karunya Institute of technology and who at his at his Chennai marina
beach meetings will cure cancer, leprosy and all sorts of diseases in
a matter of 2-3 minutes is appointed as a member of the Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) project of the Central Govt. as per a news report in the New Indian Express dated 31-12-04, Chennai edition.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.dailypioneer.com/
<b>Question on 'communalism' stumps CBSE examinees </b>
Sonia Sarkar/ New Delhi
Is political correctness more important than knowledge? Fifteen-year-olds who appeared for this year's Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) Class X Social Sciences' examination were stumped when a question carrying six marks -- <b>"What is communalism? Explain the causes for the rise of communalism in India" </b>-- stared at them in the face.
<b>Not only was this off-syllabus, the poser's inclusion in the question paper was "mischievous" according to some parents. One student said : "This issue is not touched upon in the NCERT textbooks in detail. I was surprised that a six-marker was dedicated to it</b>. All my friends wrote whatever they could from general knowledge."
Tarandeep, a student of Guru Harkishan Singh Public School, said: <b>"I wrote that politicians encourage people to vote on the basis of religion."</b> A student of a convent school in New Delhi area, Aatika Manzar said: "Only a paragraph on communalism has been mentioned in our <b>NCERT textbook giving reference to the riots which broke out during the British Rule including the Divide and Rule policy</b>. However, the detail account on the causes of the rise of communalism in India was miles far from the textbook."
So, what more would you expect a student to write to fetch handsome marks? Making the right (read Left) use of their general knowledge, they mentioned about the Gujarat riots, which is certainly to suit the government of the day.
"I have referred to the recent Gujarat riots as discuused in class, to make my answer little elaborative complying the marks it carried," said Aatika. To a question on whether the 1984 carnage of Sikhs was a part of the "class discussion", Aatika looked incredulous.
Another student of Apeejay School, Sheikh Sarai, defining the term "communalism" wrote, <b>"Encouraging people in the name of religion by politicians and fundamentalists."</b>
It is clear that "communalism" under UPA rule has a special meaning. In an environment surcharged with conflicting versions of "secularism" and its anti-thesis, youngsters are caught in the crossfire. A student is encouraged to harp on Gujarat, but avoid all the other communal riots that happened in the past. As for the connection between politics and religion, mention of Ayodha is pass, but the presence of the Muslim League in the UPA is fail.
The teachers too corroborate that as this subject was very "sketchy" in the textbook, therefore students are left with no option but to refer to their general knowledge.
"The answer of this question carrying six marks was both elaborate and intricate. As the portion mentioned in the textbook did not suffice the weightage of marks, an examinee has to refer to what has been witnessed in recent times in context," said Gitashree, the social science teacher at Apeejay, Sheikh Sarai.
Asked if the textbook reference was enough to answer the six marks question, the controller of examinations, CBSE Pavnesh Kumar said, "The paper was absolutely fine. The students should have written what was mentioned in the textbook."
Another question which puzzled the students was the one carrying four marks asking for the <b>difference between Kathak and Kathakali dance forms.</b>
"The textbook lines only mentioned the state of origin of these two dance forms which should not have weighed more than two marks. The students did not know what to write for four marks as the difference between the two was not explained elaborately," said Usha Ram, the principal of the Laxman Public School.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Commie and Congress will never ask question -List drawback of Socialism or failure of Socialism or 1984 Riots or How to make mockery of Indian Consitution?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A student is encouraged to harp on Gujarat, but avoid all the other communal riots that happened in the past<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
And we are suprised that some johnny-come-lately like T(ikka) Khan on this forum states that he's not interested in 'ancient history' as if history of India started in Feb 2002 <!--emo& --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rolleyes.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Out of the loop
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Laloo factor
The Congress did not waste any time in issuing a letter of support to Laloo Yadav for forming the new Bihar government. Apart from his bank of 26-odd MPs, Laloo is an important prop for the Congress in running the UPA Government. On occasion, he practically conducts the Cabinet meetings instead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
For instance, last month there was a proposal on the agenda to revive the Andhra Legislative Council. The Congress ministers were divided on the issue, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi was against the proposal as also the NCPâs Sharad Pawar and Laloo. But when Lalooâs trusted lieutenant, Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, spoke out in favour of the move, Laloo changed his view. What is more, once Laloo switched sides he expected everyone else to follow suit. He announced firmly that the proposal would be implemented. No one from the Congress or the allies demurred.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Arjunâs purge: Seven NIT chiefs go, more likely to follow soon</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->NEW DELHI, MARCH 18: The Human Resources Development Minister, Arjun Singh, is back on his âdetoxificationâ mission after a brief lull. Singh is now in the process of removing BJP-appointees from the National Institutes of Technology throughout the country.
In an order passed early this week, he changed the chairmen of seven NITs (Regional Engineering Colleges before they were upgraded). Next week, he is supposed to sign a file appointing at least seven new directors to seven IITs.
......................
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1288040,0008.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Don't spread fantasy in name of history: Irfan Habib
Manish Chand (Indo-Asian News Service)
Aligarh, March 20, 2005|11:41 IST
 Â
Re-writing of history and distortions in its teaching must stop once and for all, says scholar extraordinaire and eminent historian Irfan Habib.
"Interpretations can differ but facts are facts. This doesn't mean history must be rewritten all the time," Habib told IANS in an interview here.
"Several matters in history are in dispute. But the larger area of history is not in dispute. History, like any other discipline, has a large area of agreement where facts are established," insists Habib, former chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
Lashing out at the 'saffronisation' of history textbooks and research during the BJP dispensation under former human resource development minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Habib, former professor and head of the Centre for Advanced Study at the Aligarh Muslim University, forcefully defends historical methods against what he calls the "peddlers of fantasy."
"The BJP historiography is contrary to facts according to established historical methods," says the distinguished historian, who has acted as a secular gatekeeper against political assaults on history-writing.
"These BJP historians have been wilfully distorting history and are spreading fantastic notions. <b>Anyone who says Upanishads had influenced Greek philosophy is fit for a lunatic asylum</b>," says Habib, his voice quivering with rage against myth-making by political ideologues.
<b>"Their bias is evident in double standards they use to present medieval India as a period of disgrace and foreign rule. They like to portray ancient India as the perfect society</b>," says Habib, the author of "The Agrarian System of Mughal India." Published in the 1960s, the book immediately became a classic and shows Habib's skills as a researcher and a historian with a strong point of view.
"Another fallacy is that cultural nationalists are only nationalists. Those who went to jails are not nationalists, according to them," he adds.
<b>Alluding to the "de-saffronisation drive" undertaken by Human Resource Development minister Arjun Singh to cleanse history textbooks of distortions allegedly introduced by his predecessor, he contests the impression that it's an attempt at score-settling or ideological witch-hunt.</b>
He also rebuts a popular perception that the Marxists and leftwing historians had monopolized cultural institutions during the Congress dispensation. <b>"Oh, they never bothered about ideology. The change at the top in key cultural institutions, however, does happen with a change of regime."</b>
What keeps this soft-spoken, mild-mannered intellectual ticking in these end-of-ideology days? <b>"Ever since the French revolution, we have been trying to remake the world</b>. Gender equality is a promising area of action," says Habib, his faith in a more humane world intact. No ivory tower intellectual, he has encouraged students to blend radicalism with political engagement.
"There is no affirmative action for women. It is a regrettable lapse of the Constitution. Let's make it real," says Habib, in the tone of a romantic revolutionary who never gives up.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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