DAILY SUARGAM | JAMMU EDIT-OPINION MONDAY | JUNE 14, 2021 6 EDITORIAL 100-YEAR JOURNEY~I SANJUKTA DASGUPTA ophy, medieval mysticism, Significantly, the recent clubbed together as joint ven- can education have a holistic ration through the arts have Islamic culture, Zoroastrian emphasis on skill develop- tures primarily discourage objective that recognizes the been rejected in favour of a VDC issue Ahundred years ago, in philosophy, Bengali literature ment, entrepreneurship, critical thinking and freedom multiple intersections of race, pedagogy of force-feeding 1921, Rabindranath Tagore and history, Hindustani liter- start-ups, eliding the need for of configuring ideas and class, colour, caste, creed, reli- for standardized national founded Visva Bharati ature, Vedic and Classical engagement in humanities interfere with creative free- gion, gender and sexuality education.” In a more direct University at Santiniketan, Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, and social sciences that dom. So, in unequivocal that can construct a complete awareness campaign regard- It is sad and strange that Village Bolpur, in undivided Bengal. Chinese, Tibetan, Persian, enable breaking free from terms, Nussbaum observes, human being rather than an ing the absolute necessity of Visva Bharati is often regard- Arabic, German, Latin and shibboleths and stereotypes, “Thirsty for national profit, automaton? The Universal literature studies as an essen- Defence Committees (VDC) members ed as the first international Hindi formed its areas of may not have found favour nations and their systems of Declaration of Human tial component of education, university in modern India. study and research. Vidya- with Tagore who abhorred education, are heedlessly dis- Rights, 1948 had clearly out- Gayatri Chakravarty Spivak have been denied their honorarium Initially, the poet himself was Bhavana was the manifesta- bondage of any sort, includ- carding skills that are needed lined the targets of holistic refers to Gramsci’s essay the donor, fund-raiser and tion of the ideal of the pro- ing mind-control, as manifest to keep democracies alive. If education by stating, “University without for last four years which were consti- ombudsman of this unique posed centre of comprehen- for example in his plays this trend continues, nations “Education shall be directed Conditions”, and thereafter tuted through a due process of law in institution where visiting sive studies in the cultures of Raktakarabi (The Red all over the world will soon to the full development of the refers to the therapeutic bene- scholars from many parts of the East and the West. The Oleanders), Tasher Desh be producing generations of human personality and to the fits of education and the com- 1996. Since their formation the VDC the world worked as lectur- centre was viewed principal- (The Land of Cards) and useful machines, rather than strengthening of respect for paratist’s skills of critiquing ers, instructors, researchers ly as a community of schol- Muktadhara(The Waterfall), complete citizens, who can human rights and funda- perspectives and contexts. performed heroic deeds and and performers. At that time ars, Indian as well as foreign, Interestingly, in the 21st cen- think for themselves, criticize mental freedoms. It shall pro- She refers to the concepts of Visva Bharati perhaps was who would be engaged in tury, the publication of two tradition, and understand the mote understanding, toler- world literature configured remained key factor in elimination of the only university that ran creation and dissemination of books strongly advocating significance of another per- ance and friendship among by both Goethe and Marx, courses in fine arts and per- systematized and philan- the need for liberal arts and son’s sufferings and achieve- all nations, racial or religious though their horizons were terrorism from hilly reaches of forming arts. thropic reasoning. humanities studies as essen- ments.” groups.” limited to Europe, rather than This year, 2021, marks the The concern was epistemo- tial curriculum in university Nussbaum’s caveat about Tagore’s educational goals including epistemological Jammu region since then along with centenary of Tagore’s dream logical”. Also, the 1929 courses, was a crusading call. fragmented education with for school students and uni- and empirical representa- members of security forces. The VDC project of setting up a univer- tions in literature, beyond sity at Bolpur, with the pri- Europe. members did a yeoman's job during mary objective of emphasiz- In her Introduction to An ing the supreme importance Aesthetic Education In the Era over last 20 years and many of their of holistic learning. In his of Globalization Spivak stated inimitable way, the poet characteristically, “A disinter- members laid down their lives in translated his fond dream ested episteme can allow and into reality. As far as I know, withstand the interruption of fighting terrorism especially from no other poet has ever set up the ethical. Study humanism, erstwhile Doda district. It will not be a university which was large- said Gramsci, in somewhat ly self-funded. Tagore per- the same spirit as some of us an aggregation to state that VDC ceived that aid from the say deep language learning establishment, at that time, and literary textuality train the were main force to dealt a blow to ter- the British raj, would lead to ethical reflex.” Spivak further interventions of all sorts, elaborates the essential need rorists active in this hilly belt. But from administrative to politi- for rootedness in ethics and cal. A lot of water has flown aesthetics represented in liter- unfortunately instead of giving credit down Bolpur’s river Khowai ary texts that span the elite in the last ten decades. and the subalterns, explores to them for rendering their services to Intellectual discourse has and exposes the multiple nation they have been totally neglect- swayed between timeless divides that separates human Tagore and dated Tagore. civilizations, cultures and peo- ed and ignored by Government While many regard Tagore ple. From the excerpts above, as a messiah of universal the emphases of Nussbaum which not only denied them honorar- humanism, there are also and Spivak regarding the cru- those who feel threatened by cial need for incorporating ium of last four years but also has his advocacy of a fearless humanities and social sciences mind, free knowledge with- courses, as complementary taken decision for their disengage- out boundaries and complete texts and contexts would ment giving a hard blow to them and creative freedom. Though immediately link itself to well- Tagore would have agreed known educationists such as discrediting their services. However that knowledge is power, he prospectus of Visva Bharati Both the internationally the objective of economic versity students were a phe- Rousseau, Nunn, Pestalozzi, would have been vocal university stated, “College acclaimed thinkers, writers gain, is what more than a cen- nomenal game changer. John Dewey, Maria it is hoped that the LG administration against controlled knowl- students are expected to and public intellectuals tury ago tagore had repeated- Sadly, however, despite such Montessori and their much edge disseminated by repres- become familiar with the Gayatri Chakravarty Spivak ly warned about in his progressive formulations discussed and sometimes and Union Home Ministry will rise sive regulatory bodies for working of existing institu- and Martha Nussbaum numerous essays on the sub- about generating an educa- implemented discourse on the consolidating profit as power tions and new movements referred to the educational ject. However, the poet did tion free from indoctrination objectives of chainless educa- the occasion and take appropriate and use of pedagogical plati- inaugurated in the different transformations that Tagore not just sensitize people and the physical claustropho- tion. tudes for enforcing mindless countries of the world for the introduced and referred to about the destructive objec- bia created by classrooms, They highlighted that the decision in providing justice to hap- surrender of creative and crit- amelioration of the social his fictional narratives as tives of fixed syllabi that tables, benches, chalks and relationship between the texts less VDCs in J&K. The Government ical thinking. The inclusive condition of the masses. They illustrative texts. In her book encouraged rote learning. dusters, Tagore’s roadmap, and their recipients should motto of the Visva Bharati are also required to under- Not For Profit: Why Tagore painstakingly raised so clearly outlined, was con- not be coercive, but should should fully recognise their services University was this Vedic take a study of international Democracy Needs the funds for his dream project, sidered impractical by gov- entice a willing suspension of statement ~ “Yatra visvam organizations so that their Humanities, Nussbaum stat- setting up a unique model ernment-funded educational disbelief, thereby activating a and reward them accordingly. It may bhavatyekanidam” (where outlook may become better ed that a crisis was silently school and a university sys- institutions both in colonial complete state of meditative the world makes a home in a adjusted to the needs of and steadily enveloping the tem that attracted attention of India and post-independence immersion in the style and not be out of place to mention here single nest). On 23 December peace”. In the era of global- institutionalized knowledge intellectuals and creative India. Tagore’s path-breaking content of the literary text. 1921, Visva-Bharati became a ization, in 2021, how many of systems of the world. thinkers of the world. emphases on “critical think- Tagore regarded the tradition- that VDCs who gave a precious peri- registered public body which our universities have includ- Describing this silent crisis as Tagore’s school system Patha ing and empathetic imagin- al institutionalized formal adopted a constitution of its ed in their prospectus such a carcinogenic, she stated that Bhavan and eventually the ing” was ignored and instead education of his times as od of their life to the service of the own. paragraph on social outreach, there is an increasing sys- founding of Visva Bharati of an interdisciplinary liberal ensuring the dissemination of nation are being ignored this way. It As stated in its prospectus, global politics and the crucial temic policy swing away University, were a unique arts model, the traditional fragmented knowledge. the aims and objects as set importance of peace, as we from humanities and social paradigm shift, unprecedent- European model of single- Tagore steadfastly believed is expected that Government of time forth on the occasion have find in the prospectus of science courses at universi- ed in colonial Bengal. subject specialization was that rote learning had a since then remained the Rabindranath Tagore’s Visva ties. The question therefore preferred. destructive impact on the without wasting any time will give objectives of VisvaBharati, till Bharati University almost 90 She pointed out that job- arises, is education produc- Further, Nussbaum com- intellectual curiosity and cre- date, as far as I know. years ago, in colonial British oriented education, universi- ing nuts and bolts to keep the ments categorically, “Socratic ative imagination of a young justice to these people. Furthermore, “Hindu philos- administered India? ties and industries being wheels of profit turning, or active learning and explo- receptive mind. What is Mayawati’s future in UP? KALYANI SHANKAR With the gradual slide of In the recent Panchayat fell to 22 per cent and appears to favour the rul- Mayawati needs to in the 2007 Assembly the BSP have also joined the BSP, the other political polls, the SP did well, fol- dropped further to 19.3 ing BJP at the Centre and understand the changing polls. Secondly, with the rival Samajwadi Party The BSP supremo and parties in the state are eye- lowed by the BJP and the per cent in the 2019 Lok the state resulting in the world since the outbreak social media gaining and more shifts are fourtime Uttar Pradesh ing the Dalit space open- BSP came a distant third. Sabha election. The party opposition calling her of Covid and change her ground in communica- expected. Fifthly, chief minister Mayawati ing up before the 2022 Mayawati has kept her won 20 Lok Sabha seats in party the BJP’s B team. strategy according to the tion, she must strengthen Mayawati is perceived to might have lost her politi- polls. Moreover, the BSP cards close to her chest. the party’s profile on the be soft on the BJP. She cal glamour but the game has not been visible in the With the latest expulsions, social media platform. now considers the SP as is not over. She was once controversial mass move- the number of BSP MLAs Thirdly, there is the emer- her main rival. She has dreaming of becoming the ments like the anti-CAA has been reduced to 11 gence of new players like declared recently that she prime minister but her protests, vaccine contro- from 19. She has also Chandrashekhar Azad would go to any length to party’s gradual slide versy or farmer’s protests, announced that her party who are eyeing Dalit defeat the SP even if it makes one question etc. will go it alone in the 2022 votes. meant supporting the BJP. whether she will be rele- Her famous social engi- polls. Azad, the Dalit youth However, when eye- vant in U.P? Mayawati is neering of the Dalits, “While our votes are leader, is already claiming brows were raised she coming into focus because Muslims and Brahmin in easily transferred to the to be the future leader of quickly amended this of the Assembly polls in 2007 is not there anymore alliance partners, the lat- the Dalit-Bahujan move- statement and clarified early 2022. because in the last few ter’s votes are not….we ment in Uttar Pradesh. she would rather retire There are doubts about years a substantial chunk have suffered from elec- His Bhim Army is posing than support the BJP. U.P Mayawati’s politics of Dalits, particularly the toral alliances in the a threat to the BSP in elections are important as because she has gone into Jatavs (Mayawati’s caste) past…we have therefore Western U.P. Azad will it is the biggest state. A a shell since the 2019 polls have shifted to BJP. The decided to go it alone in face his first test in the divided opposition will and has not come out of Priyanka Gandhi-led the next year’s UP 2022 polls. For the BSP, result in a multi-cornered her bungalow. The other Congress in UP is also Assembly polls,” the BSP splintering the Dalit votes fight. This will be benefi- parties like the BJP, SP, eyeing the Dalits. supremo declared recent- is not a solution. Fourthly, cial to the BJP. Mayawati and even Congress have Muslims have been divid- ly. the BSP has lost almost all needs a new narrative. begun their poll prepara- ed between the The BSP’s slide in the 2009, nil in 2014 and 10 in The question is whether new situation. Her chal- the leaders groomed by But it is too early to pre- tions but the BSP’s future Samajwadi Party, the BSP past decade has been 2019. Significantly a Mayawati will support lenges are many. The first party founder Kanshiram. dict as elections are eight is not known. and the Congress. gradual. In the 2012 UP month after the results the BJP, overtly or covert- is whether she could take Some are dead and oth- months away. Mayawati Rumours are afloat that Brahmins are back with Assembly election, the were declared, Mayawati ly. After all, the BSP has advantage of the disen- ers have been shunted can keep her options open Mayawati is yet to make the BJP. party secured nearly 26 had called off the alliance had a long history of polit- chantment of Brahmins out. The result is that for the post-poll scenario up her mind whether she So unless she manages per cent vote share, down with the SP. ical alliances — both pre- with the BJP. The BSP had there are no popular, sec- provided she keeps her wants to reclaim her posi- to get back her core sup- from 30 per cent in 2007. Since then, in many poll and postpoll – with managed to get 30 per ond-rung leaders today. flock together and adds tion in the opposition turf. port she will not succeed. But in the 2017 polls, this political positions she the Congress, BJP, and SP. cent of the Brahmin vote Many prominent faces of more voters.