Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015, Hyderabad; Contribution: Rs 30/- RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation

An organ in support of free and equitable education from KG to PG and in resistance to all forms of trade in education Quarterly publication of All India Forum for Right to Education (www.aifrte.in)

Contents Editorial ...2 AISSY-2014 ...3

AGENDA Campaign against WTO-GATS ...6 Assault of Communalism ...8 Nothing Vedic in ‘Vedic Maths’ ...9

OPINION Caste, Campuses and Contradiction ...10 Jumping the Gun in Rajasthan ...11

PRESS-STATEMENTS Stop Victimising Teachers ...12 Release Prof. Saibaba ...13 Action Against DU Staff ...13 Roll-Back of FYUP ...14 Action Against AMU Teachers ...14 Attack on Students in Patna ...15 Mockery of Teachers’ Day ...15 Attack on Students in Jadavpur ...16 School Closure in Rajasthan ...17 PM’s Mythology of Science ...18 Attack on Students of SOL, DU ...18

IN REMEMBRANCE Sunil Bhai ...19 Com. Pansare ...21 Dabholkar is Done a Gandhi ...22 They Want to Stop Our Songs ...25 We Are All Mukto-Mana ...25

INTERNATIONAL Chilean Artist Destroys Students’ Debt Paper ...27

Editorial Board Executive Editor: Associate Editor: Vikas Gupta Members: Sarwat Ali, Surjit Thockchom & Lokesh Malti Prakash Madhu Prasad • Editorial Contact: [email protected] EDITORIAL

movement and successful completion of the All India Shiksha have become super rich while the rest of the population is becoming SangharshThis is Yatra-2014 the first issue(AISSY-2014). of the newsletter The Yatra aftercovered the more inspiring than poorerthat they day can by rakeday, andin huge their profits. conditions A small of life percentage are becoming of corporates more and four hundred districts across the country and carried the demand more fragile and insecure. The demand for a state-funded system for a completely free and compulsory Common Neighbourhood of absolutely free education of comparable quality for all, and the School System up to XII class for all children to more than 25 states. Demanding that higher education too should be free and open to all, for it, is a major blow against the pursuit of neoliberal policies and an its slogan of “free education from KG to PG” got a resounding response importantdemand that step the towards state fulfill adoption its constitutional of pro-people obligations policies. in providing from all sections of the people. The Yatra was joined by more than 250 The Government of India’s (GOI) offer to make higher education progressive, democratic organizations of students, teachers, adivasis, part of the liberalized global market economy and be regulated by dalits, women, minorities, disability activists and by trade unions, the rules of the General Agreement of Trade and Services (GATS) of political parties and civil liberties movements from diverse parts of the World Trade Organization (WTO) represents a grave threat to India. Five zonal Yatras started from different directions (north-east, the pursuit of knowledge and to the character of education itself. north, south, east and west) on 2nd November 2014 and travelled To treat higher education as a ‘tradable service’ is to distort its with numerous district- and state-level Yatras until they all gathered transformatory and democratic character which is of great individual together in Bhopal on 2nd December 2014. On the 3rd morning they joined the 30th anniversary rally of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy offer to GATS and is prepared to unite with all democratic forces in victims. Later in the evening a four-hour long “Programme of Cultural defenseand social of significance.higher education AIFRTE to compelhas already the governmenttaken a stand to against withdraw the Resistance” was organized. It was a celebration of the cultural and its offer urgently before the conclusion of the Doha Round of trade linguistic diversity of India and a rare occasion where all its languages negotiations. found rich and free expression. A rousing procession of thousands, with slogans raised in all languages, wound its way through Bhopal in the Lok Sabha, the “Hindutva” forces mobilized around the on the morning of 4th December to reach the Yaadgaar-e-Shahjehani SanghSince Parivar, the NDA’s are aggressively Modi Sarkar and has openly assumed interfering office with in thea majority sphere of education. Promoting irrational, mythological fantasies over the country. District- and state-level yatras continued in many local rationally acquired and weighed evidence and facts, from the prime areasPark for throughout the final rally.the entire The Yatraperiod. had ‘Tributory’ travelled yatras,for five joining weeks acrossin and minister down these forces have made a mockery of the idea of separating out, added to the range and scope of the Yatra. The Yatra dates were chosen to symbolize the struggle of the are not countered academically, then the value of the knowledge Indian people against oppression and for democratic rights and generatedscientific achievement in ancient and and medievalof historical times interpretation. of which Indians If these can forces be

Sharmila and Prof Anil Sadgopal as 2nd November commemorates liberties. The North-Eastern Yatra was flagged-off from Imphal by Irom justifiably proud cannot be properly assessed or understood. Vain against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur. The knowledge.and ignorant We glorification are therefore of carrying a Brahmanical in this issue past some is no newspaper substitute the day when she began her indefinite hunger strike 14 years ago reportsfor preparing of critiques the by ground scholars for and advancing our own contemporary statement on the scientific prime Srinagar, by Prof Jagmohan, prominent civil liberties activist in minister’s pronouncements on medical science. PunjabNorthern and Yatra nephew was flagged-offof Shaheed from Bhagat Jammu, Singh as and floods Prof hadMadhu devastated Prasad. dangerous form of physical elimination. In Maharashtra it has already claimedThe assaultthe lives on of rational, two well-respected scientific ideas defenders in South and Asia disseminators has taken the knownThe Southern linguist Yatra Prof wasDebi flagged-offPrasanna Pattanayak at Kanyakumari from byBhubneshwar civil rights activist Prof G Hargopal. The Eastern Yatra was flagged-off by well- Narendra Dabholkar and Com. Pansare were brutally shot down inof scientificAugust 2013 rationality and February among students,2015 respectively youth and when the public out for at large.their Bhopaland Western coinciding Yatra with was the flagged-off thirtieth anniversary at Mapusa inof the northern world’s Goa worst by regular morning walks. Shockingly, despite the similar manner of industrialfreedom fighter disaster Bhai emphasized Vaidya and both Sri thePrabhakar callous andArade. reckless The arrival conduct at assassination, the state police claim to be completely in the dark and of multi-national corporations functioning in developing countries, and the spineless attitude of governments like ours which cannot hold them accountable. irrationalism,have been unable and to strongly find even supports a single suspectthe demand in either that case! investigations RE salutes The Yatra popularized once again the constitutional obligation bethese handed courageous to a Special fighters Investigation in the struggle Team against(SIT). The obscurantism recent hacking and of the central and state governments to make full provisions for a to death of atheist Bangladeshi-American rationalist Avijit Roy in national system of common education for all and to be accountable for its proper functioning. The failure of successive UPA and NDA visit his ailing 80 year-old father is part of the murderous aggression beingDacca wheredisplayed he goneby right-wing briefly, despite fundamentalists receiving many against death proponents threats, to collapse of the government school system is the result of their common of secular, reasoned thought. The gunning down of Sabeen Mahmud pursuitgovernments of neoliberal during economicthe past twenty-five policies. This years so-called to prevent “development the total in Karachi is the most recent atrocity in this macabre drama. We are model” has led to the adoption of policies that have dismantled carrying in this issue, obituaries of Dr. Dabholkar, Com. Pansare, Avijit instead of strengthening and expanding state-funded educational Roy and Sabeeh Mahmud as well as reports assessing the impact of and healthcare institutions and the public sector. They have led to rampant growth of the private sector by handing over public assets, including mineral, land and forest wealth, at throw away prices so their work and influence.

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 2 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad AISSY - 2014

We are presenting before our readers some glimpses of the 3-day Culmination programme of historic All India Shiksha Sangharsh Yatra-2014 at Bhopal. Special articles, features and photographs of the Yatra as it proceeded across the country will be presented in the next issue of Reconstructing Education.

Zonal Yatras welcomed in Bhopal 2nd December 2014

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 3 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Programme of Cultural Resistance 3rd December 2014

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 4 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Rally & Convention 4th December 2014

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 5 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad AGENDA Resist WTO-GATS! AIFRTE Initiates a Campaign Against the ‘Offer’ of Higher Education for Regulation by WTO-GATS!!

Following its Revised Offer in August 2005, the health, drinking water, public distribution system and all Government of India (GOI) has expressed its readiness to treat other entitlements of the people. Being clearly predatory on higher education as a tradable commodity and allow traders the sovereignty of nations and the rights of their people, the in education from the 160 member-nations of the World Doha Round has conceived an elaborate scheme of extending Trade Organisation (WTO) to establish colleges, universities, and sharpening the claws of WTO. Anticipating the assault, technical and professional institutions in India as commercial ventures. This offer for ‘Market Access’ in ‘Higher Education themselves to resist the Tenth Ministerial Meet. Education- Sub-Sector’ shall become a ‘commitment’ when the WTO’s lovingfighting people forces throughoutcannot keep the silent world at are this resolutely critical preparingjuncture. ongoing trade negotiations at Doha are concluded. Trade Onward March of Imperialism: Economic inequalities negotiations which started at Doha in 2001 have been among countries referred to as ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ unable to resolve differences among member states but are a product of the imperialist exploitation of the latter by now there is a fresh momentum to expedite the process and the former. WTO was constituted to protect the interests of successfully conclude talks at the ensuing Tenth Ministerial the developed countries; it is detrimental to the interest of Conference to be held at Nairobi, Kenya in December 2015. the developing world. Developing countries like India joined scope of WTO. If GOI does not withdraw its offers well in corporate houses, and promising subsequent ‘trickle down’ advanceThis aims they at significantlywould automatically widening thebecome jurisdiction irrevocable and WTO intending to use this membership for the benefit of its ‘commitments’ with far-reaching implications for the nation. (caste, ethnic, gender, religious, disability-related, linguistic) The WTO regime legally sees education as a commodity inbenefits all countries for the people.and sharp However, inequalities class and among social nations inequalities stand whose providers carry out a tradable service. The student is aggravated due to different agreements operating under viewed as a client-consumer. Once India’s education sector the WTO regime. With the proposed expansion of WTO comes under this regime, the people’s right to education of operations at the Tenth Ministerial this process will be comparable quality, for which the GOI must be democratically accountable, will be completely dismantled. The privatization GATS-Education: Education as a tradable service comes and commercialization demanded by the WTO-GATS regime underintensified the Generaldespite theAgreement alluring sloganon Trade of `development’ in Services (GATS), for all. would not only deny access to the poor but also degrade one of WTO’s three integrated multilateral agreements. The course content and pedagogical practices to accommodate GATS Council (Council for Trade in Services) also covers market requirements. Once the global commitment for and treats education at par with services such as recreation market access in education comes into force, GOI would clubs and pubs under the same set of rules, with some be bound to protect the interests of foreign and domestic corporates trading in education even when it goes against Four Modes of Trade the academic and democratic interests and contributions of sectorsvariations in due‘Education to domestic Service’ regulations viz., 1) ofPrimary member-nations! Education; India’s students and teachers. Resistance in the face of this 2) Secondary Education; 3): Higher GATS recognizesEducation; five4) Adult sub- threat had prevented successive governments from making Education; and 5) Other Education. GOI has submitted these ‘offers’ even earlier, that is, soon after the economic its ‘offer’ in Higher Education Sub-Sector. Further, GATS reforms programme was initiated in 1991, despite increasing recognizes four modes of trade in all services. In higher pressure from WTO and other international agencies. If the education, they would work as follows- a) Cross Border people of India, particularly students and teachers, once again Supply: Students receive correspondence education from a mount pressure on the GOI and demand that it withdraw the ‘offers’ given to WTO in the higher education sector our education system can be saved from the clutches of the WTO The privatization and regime to which it would otherwise be bound in perpetuity. commercialization demanded Momentum in Trade Negotiations: A special meeting of “ the General Council of WTO in November 2014 systematically by the WTO-GATS regime would suppressed the ten-year long resistance of the economically ‘developing’ and ‘least developed’ nations in successive not only deny access to the poor but also degrade course by July 2015 prior to the Tenth Ministerial Conference, the topmosttrade negotiations. body of WTO. It decided This would to finalise prove amost ‘work ruinous programme’ for the content and pedagogical ‘backward’ nations and working masses of the whole world. practices to accommodate The decisions of the Tenth Ministerial would cover trade in goods, including agriculture and services such as education, market requirements.

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 6 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad foreign supplier and pay service charges; b) Consumption ensured. A World Bank (WB) survey (2000) states on Abroad: Students receive education in a foreign land and pay record that ‘well-known universities of Developed Countries service charges; c) Commercial Presence: Foreign Education established low standard branches in backward countries’. Providers, including corporate houses, establish educational Domestic Regulation: Accredited bodies formed under institutions in India and collect service charges; and d) the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM), one of the Presence of Natural Person: Foreign individuals render legal instruments under WTO, would annually review the service in Indian institutions and collect service charges. trade policies of different countries and ‘suggest’ changes in In all four cases, as India opens up its market, their policies. This constitutes an outright infringement of Indian students are the customers, and foreign service the sovereign freedom of nations and peoples to formulate their own policies. The ‘developing’ and ‘least developed’ major adverse impact will be that education becomes countries will most easily fall victim in an incremental irrevocablyproviders receivedegraded remuneration to a tradable and service earn profits.in a trade The manner to the WTO regime. The HRD Minister and GOI

Foreign Providers: We certainly do not oppose educationaldominated andand controlledcultural relations by global between corporate India forces! and Educationwould be moreReform accountable Bills by the to TPRMprevious officials UPA government than to the other countries of the world for the exchange and spread maypeople have of failed India! but The the hurried present attempt GOI will to undoubtedly pass the Higher bring knowledge. This has been a prominent feature throughout India’s history and was promoted by leaders of the freedom Independent Regulatory Authorities (IRAs): struggle including Gandhi and Tagore. This is quite different Independentequivalent ones Regulatory to fulfill theAuthorities commitment (IRAs) to theare WTO-GATS.established in service sectors like Power, Water, Insurance, Tele- communications etc. Sam Pitroda (National Knowledge investors.to creating It ais `market’not even underguaranteed global foreign trade universities regulations Commission Report 2006), and Prof. Yash Pal (Report on provideto generate comparable profits forquality foreign education and national and corporateresearch ‘Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education’ 2008) facilities. Even an acceptable standard is not necessarily suggested establishment of an overarching ‘National Commission for Higher Education and Research’ after either abolishing or subsuming the varied functions of all-India educational bodies like UGC, AICTE, NCTE, MCI, BCI. In compliance with the ‘Additional Commitments’ provision under GATS, such IRAs divest representative governments of their authority and accountability for decision making. They function ‘independently’ of public debate and pressure and

criteria which favor domestic and foreign capital. The previousfreely ‘regulate’ UPA government’s respective sectors proposed according IRA toin ‘efficiency’education (NCHER) has lapsed. However, the present NDA government has already declared its commitment to establish a ‘Higher Education Commission’ for the same purpose. Call of the Hour: The GOI has agreed for global trade in education without any barriers. The commitments under the multilateral agreement between all member countries of WTO are extensive and irrevocable.

global• We trade are resolutelywhich goes opposed against tothe any democratic trade in educationinterests ofand the stand Indian firmly people in oppositionand the intellectual to becoming concerns part of of a the academic community of students and teachers.

by the Government of India to the GATS Council of WTO in higher• We demand education immediate sector and withdrawal will oppose of the all ‘offers’ attempts made at encroachment of the WTO-GATS regime in any sector of the Indian education system.

Join the Signature Campaign against WTO-GATS

For more information visit AIFRTE website at www.aifrte.in

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 7 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Assault of Communalism

Science meet didn’t hear: 40 years ago, IISc debunked flying claims

At the Indian Science Congress on Sunday, at a special session was in fact “brought into existence sometime between 1900 and called “Vedic Science through Sanskrit’’, a former pilot, Captain 1922 by Pandit Subbaraya Shastry’’, an interpreter of Sanskrit Anand J Bodas, claimed that aircraft technology existed in India shlokas whose work was documented by an aide before his death in 1944 as the Vyamanika Shastra. substantiate his claim that aeronautical engineering in India dates The work, according to the paper by the IISc scientists, was backthousands toVedic of yearstimes, before Bodas the referred Wright tobrothers’ a book, first Vyamanika flight in 1903.Shastra, To discovered in 1951 by A M Joyser, the founder of an International that claims to document ancient sage Maharishi Bharadwaja’s Academy of Sanskrit Research at Mysore, who published it. musings on aviation technology. While the science of aeronautics requires understanding What was not mentioned, however, was that exactly 40 years of “aerodynamics, aeronautical structures, propulsive devices, materials, and metallurgy’’, the Vyamanika Shashtra paid “little or engineering and mechnical engineering departments of the Indian no emphasis on aerodynamics’’, said the IISc paper. “It is worth Instituteago, a group of Science of five inyoung Bangalore Indian hadscientists debunked from such the aeronauticalclaims after pointing out that that the history of aeronautics (western) in conducting a thorough study. regard to production of heavier- than-air craft is studded with The group, led by H S Mukunda, a now retired professor of aerospace engineering from IISc, had found that none of the aerodynamics,’’ it said. technologies documented in the Vymanika Shashtra would allow an initial “What failures, we significantlyfeel unfortunate… traceable is that to a some non-understanding people tend to of

without valid evidence. In the absence of any evidence, efforts will andobject not to the fly. ancientThey also sage found Maharishi that the Bharadwaja. Vyamanika Shastra was based beeulogise made toand produce glorify partwhatever of the theyevidence can findin favour about of our antiquity,’’ past, even the on aIn figment a paper of titled imagination “Critical ofStudy a man of thewho Work lived Vyamanika in the 20th Shastra’’, century, scientists noted. “Anybody who talks about these things has the responsibility to M Deshpande, H R Nagendra, A Prabhu and S P Govindaraju said: prove these things as well — at least on a small scale,’’ Prof Mukunda “Thepublished planes in described the journal are Scientificat the best Opinion poor concoctions in 1974, Mukunda,rather than S told The Indian Express. “If you see the drawings presented with expressions of something real. None of the planes has properties the Vedic papers, it is grotesque. What is this nonsense? We went

enormous effort. We have not stated it in the paper, but we went to or capabilities of being flown; the geometries are unimaginably out of the way to find some substance for it at that time. We put in horrendousFollowing from futile the attempts point of toview establish of flying; the and Vedic the origins principles of the of propulsion make then resist rather than assist flying.” great extent to find the origin of that book,’’ he said. claims in the Vymanika Shastra , the scientists found that the book (Published in The Indian Express, 7 January 2015)

Plea to remove aviation paper for ISC proceedings

Reacting strongly to papers presented at the 102 Indian Science Congress (ISC), claiming that aviation was known to Indians 9000 years ago, California-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientist Ramprasad Gandhiraman has launched a signature campaign to remove the lecture on ‘Ancient Indian Aviation Technology’ from the ISC, fearing that it would gain the legitimacy to be included in school curriculum. “Interestingly, talks like this are allowed on respected platforms only when the BJP comes to power,” said N. D. Jayaprakash of the Delhi Science Forum. “India certainly made contributions to astronomy but talking about aircraft 7000 years ago is a joke. They constantly need to revisit what they call past glory to drum up support for their ideology,” he added. Last month, the Indian History Congress passed a resolution demanding that the government should not distort history. “Unfortunately, even the Prime Minister has suggested that in the hoary past, Indians had learnt, and then forgotten, plastic surgery of a kind going far beyond what is now possible. There is widespread belief that soon textbooks will be revised or rewritten, to inculcate such a strongly misleading and divisive brand of history among pupils in our schools,” it said. (Published in The Hindu, 6 January 2015) Credit: Down To Earth

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 8 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Nothing Vedic in ‘Vedic Maths’

C. K. Raju

Gujarat has made it compulsory for school students to are found in many early Indian texts, such as the Patiganita read the texts of Dinanath Batra, endorsed by Prime Minister of Sridhar or the Ganita Sara Sangraha of Mahavira, or the Narendra Modi. According to news reports, Mr. Batra has Lilavati of Bhaskara II. So, advocating “Vedic mathematics” as now proposed a non-governmental education commission a replacement for traditional Indian arithmetic is hardly an act which will Indianise education through, for instance, Vedic of nationalism. On the contrary, it only shows ignorance of the mathematics. The Minister for Education has also mentioned history of mathematics. Spreading this ignorance among future Vedic mathematics as part of her agenda. generations will weaken the nation, not strengthen it. The techniques of “Vedic mathematics” are designed for Ignorant of tradition mental arithmetic, traditionally used by lower caste artisans One appreciates the desire of these people to work for Indian such as carpenters or by people like Shakuntala Devi. There traditions. But where in the Vedas is “Vedic mathematics” to be are many other such systems of mental arithmetic today. If that found? Nowhere. Vedic mathematics has no relation whatsoever to the Vedas. It actually originates from a book misleadingly comparison. We should also be honest and refrain from using titled Vedic Mathematics by Bharati Krishna Tirtha. The book theis what misleading we intend label to promote,“Vedic” which we should is the first main do sellinga systematic point of Bharti Krishna Tirtha’s system, and which attracts gullible (elementary arithmetic) algorithms expounded in the book people who infer value just from the wrapper. haveadmits nothing on its tofirst do page with thatthe Vedas.its title This is misleading is repeated and on thatp. xxxv: the “Obviously these formulas are not to be found in the present Suppressing real Mathematics recensions of Atharvaveda.” I have been pointing this out Promoting the wrongly labelled “Vedic mathematics” since 1998. Regrettably, the advocates of “Vedic mathematics,” suppresses the mathematics that really does exist in the Vedas. though they claim to champion Indian tradition, are ignorant For example, Yajurveda 17.2 elaborates on the decimal place of the actual tradition in the Vedas. Second, they do not even value system (the basis of Indian algorithms) and some of those know what is stated in the book — the real source of “Vedic names for numbers are still in use, though terms such as arab mathematics.” Third, they are unaware of scholarly writing on (arbudam) have changed meaning. That passage shows that the the subject. When education policy is decided by such ignorant place value system extends back to Vedic times, and it was a late people, they only end up making a laughing stock of themselves acquisition only in mathematically backward Europe. and the Vedas, and thus do a great disservice to the very tradition Likewise, the theory of permutations and combinations which they claim to champion. is built into the Vedic metre (and Indian music in general), Everyone learns how to add, subtract, multiply and divide as explained in various texts from Pingala’s Chandahsutra to in school. Why should we replace those algorithms with “Vedic Bhaskar’s Lilavati. The aksa sukta of the Rgveda gives a beautiful mathematics”? Will that Indianise education? No. The standard account of the game of dice, which is the foundation of the arithmetic algorithms actually originated in India, where theory of probability. The romantic story of Nala and Damayanti they were known by various names such as patiganita(slate in the Mahabharata further relates dice to sampling theory (to arithmetic). However, the word “algorithm” comes from count the number of fruits in a tree). “algorithmus”: the Latinised name of al Khwarizmi of the 9th More details are in my article on “Probability in Ancient century House of Wisdom in Baghdad. He wrote an expository India” available online and published in the Elsevier Handbook book on Indian arithmetic called Hisab al Hind. Gerbert d’Aurillac of the Philosophy of Statistics. However, all these scholarly (later Pope Sylvester II), the leading European mathematician of efforts are jeopardised, for they too are viewed with suspicion. the 10th century, imported these arithmetic techniques from the We need to change the Western and colonial education Umayyad Khilafat of Córdoba. He did so because the primitive system, especially with regard to mathematics. Traditional Greek and Roman system of arithmetic (tied to the abacus), Indian ganita has much to offer in this process, but “Vedic then prevailing in Europe, was no match for Indian arithmetic. However, accustomed to the abacus (on which he wrote a tome), Wrong solutions like “Vedic mathematics” persist because Gerbert was perplexed by algorithms based on the place-value anmathematics” insecure political is definitely dispensation not the right values way. the politically loyal system, and foolishly got a special abacus (apices) constructed over the learned who are loyal to the truth. (“Merit” apparently for these “Arabic numerals” in 976 CE. Hence the name “Arabic is important only in the context of reservations.) Such political numerals” — because a learned pope amusingly thought there processes are historically known to damage real traditions. was some magic in the shape of the numerals which made As I wrote over a decade ago in my book The Eleven Pictures of Time, those who attain or retain state power through religion are the worst enemies of that religion, whatever be the religion arithmetic efficient.algorithms conferred a competitive advantage they claim to represent: Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism. in commerce.Later, Florentine Fibonacci, merchants who traded realised across that efficientIslamic IndianAfrica, translated al Khwarizmi’s work, as did many others, which is (Published in The Hindu,3 September 2014) why they came to be known as algorithms. Eventually, after 600 years, Indian algorithms displaced the European abacus and were introduced in the Jesuit syllabus as “practical mathematics” circa 1570 by Christoph Clavius. These algorithms

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 9 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad OPINION Caste, Campuses and Contradictions

YOGESH MAITREYA

When I reached the 7th Grade, my parents admitted discover in the same structure an acute sense of disparity me into a school that was run by a Hindu nationalist trust. which places the idea of campuses as a ‘public domain’ under Sanskrit, which was foreign to my tongue till then, became the serious interrogation. compulsory language for 7th grade curriculum. The teacher This idea of the campuses as public domain comes under who was to teach us Sanskrit was a traditional Brahmin- a further scrutiny, for example, when a ‘Beef festival’ is violently ponytail hanging from the back of his skull and sandalwood thwarted and becomes a matter of contempt for Brahminical marks on his forehead. He was unbearably strict and would ideologues. But on the other hand, no one raises any question make us cry if we didn’t pronounce words the way he on the celebration of festivals like Holi which are built on demonstrated. I was one of the victims of his disciplinary notions of contempt towards Dalit existence and celebrates punishments. As I found myself adamant not to learn those their defeat. The religiosity of celebration of festivals within foreign words and the accent which I had never tasted in my the ‘public domain’ not only mars the secular spirit of life, I refused to go to school after a week or two. Seeing my campuses but it also creates a sense of humiliation in Dalits reluctance, my parents then admitted me into a municipal and adivasis, who form a minority there with their distinctive school where the majority of students were Dalits and adivasis cultural identities. from Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. After all these years, I Contradiction as caste discourse in campuses language. Indian pedagogy is a matter of ceaseless discourse These contradictions within campuses mostly stand and offind castes’ my conflict contradictions with, and in contradictionwhich the caste to ofthe the imposition learner and of stem out of positions of subjectivity of the actors involved. the caste of the academicians play a crucial role in order to Of those in positions of inculcating these contradictions as shape the contours of academic discourses and learnings to well as those who are at the receiving end of it. If the position decide whether it would be egalitarian or caste-prejudiced. of subjectivity at the inculcator’s end is structured by his/ Such contradictions in the Indian academic discourse her privileged background, in our country’s case a Savarna background, then in the process of so-called academic those of Eklavya and in lived experiences of Dr. Ambedkar. discourse, it loses or negates the subaltern/Dalit vocabulary. Butand campuseswith Ambedkar are not hadnew: started they find the mention vehement in legends discourse like The deliberate avoidance of the use of Dalit vocabulary creates of posing and challenging the question of Brahminised an automatic indifference within the mind of Dalit students hegemony in academic domains. What lies underneath these contradictions is the caste-positioning of academicians from foreign and one that cannot depict their social and lived whom academic curricula & discourses are being introduced, realities.who often Therefore, find such inculcationsuch academic of academic discourses language remain as taught, debated and at some point inculcated in the students. contingent discourses if they are to serve knowledge to Dalit And the culmination of such contradictions are the harsh facts students. Such contradictions often culminate in a sense of oppression, though subtle in form but clear enough to map out the complete disconnect between the reality of the structural the faculty’s emotional and intellectual state of mind. relationsof Dalit students that govern dropping Indian out ofsocial academia life and or beingwhat baffledthey are at But the struggle of Dalit students proves such contradictions to be negative phenomena. Their struggles truth of suicides by Dalit students. use these contradictions as points of creation, assertion and taught all through in the academia. And, sadly, the horrific articulation of their excluded culture whenever they have Campuses as public domain sought a socio-anthropological gap between what they have Most of the campuses in premier Indian universities been taught and what they have lived. Thus contradiction is a are rarely secular in the true sense. For most Dalit students sensitive discourse in the places where caste is being spoken contradictions - cultural, economical, psychological and also about in order to analyse its complexities and how this had legitimised the sense of othering in a public domain. friend of mine narrated to me the example of a girl who had But contradictions are far more dangerous as well as gonelinguistic through - are the the longfirst entrancesense of knowledgeprocess, and they after arrive securing at. A oppressive where caste-practice is the normative mechanism but not spoken about or ever debated. Such campuses are most anxious about was English. If one analyzes this closely, much more dangerous and humiliating for marginalized thisadmission is not intoa simple a premier question institution, of a ‘language the first barrier’ thing she was students where they are pushed into complete oblivion and facing but one of structural trajectories which campuses as a never come to the realisation of their being oppressed or public domain continue to uphold. A structure where students contradicted with the public culture of Savarnas. belonging to privileged backgrounds with English medium (Source: www.roundtableindia.co.in) Dalits students, possessing equal amounts of talent in terms Yogesh Maitreya is a student of Criminolgy and Justice education find nothing that conflicts with their realities. But of thinking abilities and understanding of social nuances, at TISS, Mumbai

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 10 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Jumping the Gun in Rajasthan

KIRAN BHATTY

Rajasthan government order of August 14, 2014, calling new language of instruction? for merger of schools leading to the closure of 17,000 schools But it is not just a violation of the distance clause that is across the State, has raised several issues that bear discussion. cause for concern here. The change that has been implemented with little thought or preparation for what follows has resulted Chaos and confusion A look at the scale and nature of change being brought an extra set of children and an extra level of instruction that about in Rajasthan brings into sharp focus ways in which theyin a situation are ill-equipped where schools to cope find with. themselves This has resultedhaving to in handle chaos this action has led to chaos and confusion across Rajasthan. in these schools, to the obvious detriment of learning levels. In Rajsamand district, 199 primary schools and 42 upper For instance, the 80 children of the primary schools in Kadiya primary schools have been merged with the existing 227 Panchayat (Kumbhalgarh block) now have to share space secondary and senior secondary schools. In other words, a and teachers with 190 other children who were the original total of 241 primary schools and upper primary schools have students of the secondary school with which their school now ceased to exist in this area, resulting in the children from has been merged. In other words, 270 children are now these schools having to go beyond the one-kilometre radius occupying the same six rooms and being taught by the same of their neighbourhood, violating RTE provisions. Rajasthan six teachers, who now have to teach classes 1-10, as opposed rules for RTE state in Section 7 (1)(a) and 1(b) that every to 6-10 earlier. Similarly, in Atree Panchayat, the merger of the child has the right to have a school within 1 km of his or her primary school with the secondary school has taken the tally neighbourhood (for primary schools) and within 2 km (for to 235 (65 added) with the same facilities of six rooms and six upper primary schools). In fact, the rules also state in Section teachers teaching 10 classes. 7(3) that in remote areas like “desert areas…and areas with scattered population, the State government or appropriate Call for change local authority will set up schools” in the habitations as long as Such situations call for a change... There is much merit there are a minimum of 20 children in the primary and 30 in in the idea of a neighbourhood school — easily accessible to the upper-primary. But upper primary school Sarkela, to give all children and geared towards the needs of the community just one example, with 98 children, got merged with upper it serves. It requires more resources, including teachers, primary school Farara, with 65 children. and contradicts the government’s mantra of “minimum In Raghunathpura primary school, on the other hand, government,” but in critical areas such as primary education, which has merged with the Ratipati primary school (both in the government would do well to consider a less minimalist Rajsamand block), children now have to cross a highway to approach. When it comes to investing in children, “maximum access their school. In the same block, the Rajnagar upper governance” is unlikely to result without more investment primary school has been merged with Rajnagar senior in the government school system starting with more trained secondary school, which requires minority and Dalit children teachers and greater frontline institutional capacity. to cross the national highway. With no mention or indication of possible transport options for the reassigned children, it is (Excerpted from an article published in The Hindu; 26 Nov 2014) not unreasonable to assume that many of them, especially the younger ones, will drop out of school. Kiran Bhatty is senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. In addition, many small schools which were exclusively for girls (11 in Rajsamand) have been merged with larger co- educational schools, as have smaller Urdu-medium schools with larger Hindi-medium ones. For parents who had sent their girls to school because of the existence of girls- only schools are now likely to reconsider their decision. For a State with one of the lowest literacy levels for girls in the country, this is a particularly unsound move. Similarly, for children in Muslim families for whom Urdu-medium education is an important factor, the merger with Hindi-medium schools is equally unsettling. How are these children expected to cope with a whole

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 11 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad PRESS-STATEMENTS Stop Victimising Teachers

All India Forum for the Right to Education (AIFRTE) be misinterpreted since the college was facing protests by strongly condemns the vicious and unethical attack launched students and there was a pending case of sexual harassment by the authorities of St. Stephen’s College, University of in which the Principal had also been named. An attempt Delhi against Prof Nandita Narain. The College authorities made to condemn Prof. Narain by name, for a Facebook have concocted against Prof Narain the charge of making post regarding the students’ protest, failed only because the defamatory statement against the college principal on basis University Representatives did not support the move. of a newspaper report that has been ably refuted by her. In June 2013 an article on gender issues in a newspaper An alumnus of the College and member of its mathematics called New Indian Express, misquoted and distorted her faculty for over thirty-three years, Prof Narain has held comments about this GB meeting. As soon as the article was responsible administrative positions such as Head of Dept, shown to Prof. Narain in July 2013, she mailed a protest letter Dean (Residence), Tutor for Admissions and has served to the Editor, with a copy to the Principal. No one raised the several times as an elected member of its Governing Body issue after that for six months, although two Special meetings (GB). A well-known activist of the Delhi University Teachers of the GB were held in September and November, 2013. Association (DUTA), she has been elected to the Academic However, on 8th January 2014, under ‘Matters Arising from Council (AC), the Executive Council (EC), and since August the Minutes’ of the May 2013 meeting, copies of the article from 2013 is the current President of the DUTA. New Indian Express were distributed without Prof. Narain’s Prof. Narain has been in the forefront of struggles rejoinder. An Enquiry committee was set up to probe the matter, against the authoritarian functioning which is becoming consisting of members who had condemned her vociferously characteristic of University administration, and against the without even hearing her version. Prof. Narain protested in arbitrary imposition of semester system and the subsequent writing to the Chairman, attaching her rejoinder and a copy dismantling of Delhi University’s undergraduate programme of the complaint by the non-teaching employee to the Apex to enforce the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP). Committee naming the Principal as a co-accused. Yet it was As conditions for democratically resolving issues continue to only after two sittings of the Enquiry Committee had already shrink within the University as a whole, constituent college been held, that she was asked to give a written submission and administrations too are resorting to intimidation against appear before the committee. In her submission she refuted the those who protest and oppose such functioning. minutes of the GB meeting held on 8th January. As an activist defending university autonomy and Prof. Narain then approached the High Court which advised democratization, and now as the DUTA President, Prof. Narain mediation for settlement. Enquiry or any other action in has become the special target of such harassment. Already this matter could be held in abeyance till the date of the next in Jan 2011, she had to resign from Deanship of the college hearing. However, an item, “Enquiry into alleged misconduct“, as she opposed the victimization of the minor son of a Mess was included in the agenda of the Governing Body meeting of Karamchari. When an enquiry was instituted in February, 1st May, and a University representative informed the Hindi 2012 to look into charges of misconduct against the former newspaper, Dainik Jagran, that there was a move to dismiss Prof. Vice-Principal, she became Defence Assistant. Since then, she Narain on 1st May 2014. Reports in other newspapers followed. has been attacked in almost every GB meeting of the college. Teacher representatives on the GB wrote to the Chairperson asking for charges to be dropped altogether. Students also it was the case of supported her. At the last minute, the Principal dropped the victimization of a non-teaching employee whose complaint item from the agenda temporarily and postponed further Yet she continues to fight. In May 2012, of sexual harassment against the Librarian had been upheld hearings of the enquiry committee to June. AIFRTE sees this blatant harassment of a senior faculty complaint in the Apex Committee against both the Principal by the Apex Committee. The employeeand thesubsequently Librarian. Infiled May a democratic structure and functioning of one of the premier 2013, on the basis of a memberinstitutions and of a higherleading education figure in thein the struggle country, to defendas a grave the representation given by threat to the future of democratic functioning at all levels in the Gender Sensitizing higher education. The very purpose of higher education and Committee, she took up of the university as an institution is at stake in its absence, the issue of victimization for without democratic functioning the ability to work in an of students who had academic environment conducive to independent thinking is questioned gender seriously degraded. inequality in hostel rules. Therefore AIFRTE demands that In the GB meeting of May 2013, she protested against an settle• All all charges issues transparently against Prof. Narainthrough be negotiation. dropped forthwith. agenda item proposing • Democratic procedures be restored or introduced to that the College opt out of Ordinance XV(D), action• Issues can be of taken. sexual harassment and gender inequality be pointing out that any speedily and transparently resolved so that firm and decisive attempt to do so would 8 May 2014

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 12 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Release Prof. Saibaba

All India Forum for Right To Education (AIFRTE) must be unequivocally condemned and cannot be treated as condemns the shocking abduction on May 15th 2014 by acceptable in a democratic country. the Maharashtra Police, and the subsequent arrest and It is especially deplorable that the abduction took place suspension, of Delhi University’s Prof. G. N. Saibaba of the on the university campus as Prof. Saibaba was returning Dept. of English, Ramlal Anand College. from Daulat Ram College after examination evaluation duty. Prof. Saibaba has been a public critic of the state’s This emphasizes the alarming deterioration in the University oppressive policies towards the down-trodden and environment which is no longer conducive to the free and dispossessed. He has been a staunch opponent of the fair pursuit of learning. Operation Green Hunt strategy adopted by the state in The criminal action of the Maharashtra Police is further the name of resisting Maoist movements. Prof. Saibaba’s aggravated by the fact that Prof. Saibaba is 90% disabled, statements and political stance are well within the rights and bound to a wheelchair, and also a heart patient suffering liberties of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution of India. from several medical complications. As his wife has publicly stated, he is being denied adequate living conditions and is by the police in September 2013. When this failed to yield also being denied proper care and medication. anyYet his cause home for was further raided action and personal against belongingshim, the Maharashtra confiscated If the police require any information from Prof. Police have resorted to downright illegal actions which Saibaba for their investigations, they must remain within constitutional requirements and engage with him at his home. He has never refused to answer their queries, and given his physical condition, cannot credibly be said to be

a “flight-risk”AIF-RTE demands requiring that, incarceration. The police action is therefore clearly mala fide and unconstitutional. immediate effect and be assured of full protection against any• further Prof. harassment Saibaba be or illegal unconditionally acts of intimidation released by with the agencies of the state.

suspension from service of Prof. Saibaba. • University authorities revoke the hasty and unjustified 17 May 2014

Vindictive Action Against DU Staff

The School of Open Learning (SOL), Delhi University authorities at the SOL is very much in keeping with the has caught the attention of the print and electronic media atmosphere in Delhi University over the past couple of years where any signs of openness or protest are not tolerated by the authorities and are dealt with by punitive action. The Humanbecause Resource of the controversy Development arising (HRD) over theMinister differing Smriti affidavits Irani. SOL authorities have already issued a show cause notice to Inabout the 2004her academic election, qualifications she claimed to submitted have acquired for elections a graduate by the President of the teachers Staff Association for having degree from the SOL in 1996. In the 2014 election she stated staged a Dharna on 29th May 2014 protesting against the Governing Body’s unilateral decision to offer only two-year as SOL records show, she took admission only last year but didthat not she sit had for onlythe exam. completed This information first year in suggests 1994. However, that the Lakh students who take admission at SOL of the chance to Minister, who wants to be judged by “her work”, is either acquireDiploma a courses graduate at degree. SOL. This would deprive the almost five prone to fabricating facts or else is appallingly careless. It AIFRTE condemns the actions of the SOL authorities and was obviously lapped up by the media. demands that

revoked; AIFRTE finds it shocking that the Director of SOL took the • Suspension of the five staff members be immediately theunprecedented media. The stepinformation of suspending about admitted five non-teaching students staffwho be withdrawn; below section officer rank for “leaking” this information to • Show cause notice issued to President, Staff Association accessed easily. Therefore the claim that it has been “leaked” be taken without full and free debate among faculty and fail to appear for the exam is hardly confidential and can be students• No at decision the SOL altering and in Delhi the University. SOL academic program to persons provided the information to the media. has no validity. Further, there is no proof that these five 2 June 2014

However, the unjustified and vindictive action by the RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 13 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad On Roll-Back of FYUP from DU

All India Forum for the Right to Education (AIFRTE) appropriate arrangements to ensure that students admitted salutes the resolute struggle led by Delhi University Teachers last year do not lose an academic year in obtaining their Association (DUTA) and several progressive teachers and degrees. students organizations for the past two years to achieve AIFRTE condemns the continued intransigence of Delhi the roll-back of the ill-conceived Four-Year Undergraduate University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dinesh Singh and his team Program (FYUP), imposed hastily and undemocratically for their failure to implement UGC’s directive with immediate by Delhi University administration from the academic year effect in the interest of the students currently being admitted 2013-14 onwards. Violating the academic structure of the to the undergraduate program. This team has already brought National Policy on Education, 1986 (NPE-1986), the FYUP much shame and misery upon the academic community. Its played havoc with the future of lakhs of students, disrupted persisting obstinacy is not just unacceptable; AIFRTE instead the democratic environment essential for the creative demands urgent and decisive intervention by the Visitor, the functioning of the university, and seriously impacted the President of India, so that the University can, without further academic content of the undergraduate program of this delay, begin the task of course correction. At the same time, premier central university. AIFRTE appeals to the Delhi University community to rise to The principled and united struggle under the common the occasion and take over the task of ensuring a smooth shift back from FYUP to the 3-year undergraduate programme in the University Grants Commission (UGC) to shoulder its its own hands so that UGC does not get an opportunity again responsibilityplatform viz., thefor “Saveensuring DU Campaign”that the 10+2+3 has finally academic forced to override University’s internal autonomy. AIFRTE cautions the university community across the universities across the country. UGC’s advisory has asked the country to recognize that the experience of the University of Delhistructure University specified administration by NPE-1986 to take is implemented all necessary bysteps all Delhi is not an isolated local matter. Reportedly, Bangalore to adhere to the 3-year undergraduate program and to make University is already directed to implement FYUP. As long as

by the earlier NDA regime and carried forward by the UPA governments)the central government to the World does notTrade withdraw Organization’s the `offer’ (WTO)(made General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) to treat higher education as a ‘tradeable commodity’, the threat to the national system of higher education will remain. The present NDA government must withdraw its ‘offer’ of higher education before the completion of the Doha Rounds of GATS negotiations so that it does not become an irreversible threat to national sovereignty and academic independence by subjecting higher education to international trade regulations.

23 June 2014

AIFRTE Condemns Action Against AMU Teacher

All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) This contravenes the stipulation of the University Grants condemns the suspension of Dr. S. Ali Nadeem Rezavi, Associate Professor of History at the Aligarh Muslim come from academic backgrounds. Modes of military University, by the Vice-Chancellor. In spite of his academic ‘discipline’Commission are that alien persons to the occupyingethos of academic these offices institutions. should achievements and potential, the denial of his appointment as However, recent experiences, notably at Delhi University and Professor for the last two years is indicative of prejudice and elsewhere, indicate that even in the Central Universities those bias already existing against him. who dare to question the arbitrary conduct of the authorities What is cause for further outrage is that he has been are being subjected to harassment and victimization. suspended for criticizing the Vice-Chancellor in the social AIFRTE expresses full solidarity with the faculty of AMU media. This constitutes a gross violation of freedom of in their struggle to defend the cause of academic freedom speech and expression and is a matter of grave concern and teachers’ self-respect. It demands that the order of which shows how criticism is being silenced by authoritarian suspension served on Dr S. Ali Nadeem Rezavi be withdrawn administrations in educational institutions. and he be re-instated with immediate effect. Both the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of 26 July 2014

Aligarh Muslim University are retired military officers. RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 14 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Police Attack on Students in Patna

All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) the students. It is a matter of grave concern that such anti- condemns the brutal police action on peaceful rally of democratic attitude has become a normal tendency of students’ organisations including All-India Students’ university administrations and governments (state or the Federation (AISF), All-India Students’ Association (AISA), centre) that are bent on enforcing anti-people policies in All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) and institutions of higher education and therefore want to crush Chatra RJD in Patna on 24th July 2014. all progressive-democratic voices against such policies. The protesting students were demanding withdrawal of blatantly undemocratic decisions taken by the administration Patna University who have bravely raised the banner of of Patna University in recent past. These included the demand resistanceExpressing against its undemocratic unqualified support and anti-student to the students policies of to allot hostels and also to conduct students’ union elections university administration, AIFRTE demands that, in the university (the elections have been withheld for last two years). The students were also demanding withdrawal of should be taken against the police and administrative a draconian order issued recently by the Vice-Chancellor to • An independent inquiry should be initiated and action cancel and withhold degrees of those students against whom 2014. police cases have been registered after the year 2007. This officials who ordered lathi-charge on students on 24th July is a clear step to throttle students’ voice against arbitrary this entire process, including the police attack. and anti-student policies of the university administration. In • Initiate a judicial inquiry to determine the role of VC in fact, the students were forced to stage the protest march only rally should be accepted without any condition. because of stubborn attitude of the VC who has refused so • All demands raised by the students in their 24th July far to even meet his own students and hear their grievances. protests and agitations against decisions of the university The unprovoked police action clearly establishes that administration• All police and cases state against government students should for participatingbe immediately in the university administration is working hands in gloves withdrawn. with the present regime to impose arbitrary decisions on 30 July 2014

Modi Sarkar Makes a Mockery of ‘Teacher’s Day’

Teachers Day has been celebrated for decades on 5th September, the birthday of President S. Radhakrishnan, a renowned academician, teacher, and Chairman of the Ministersadministration, are also state joining governments the race toand politically the MHRD! indoctrinate University Education Commission 1948-49. It honours the Misfortunesstudents/ teachers as they sayon neverTeachers come Day. alone! From Now Gujarat, Chief teachers across the country and is a day for students and Madhya Pradesh Haryana and elsewhere, CM’s are claiming teachers to renew their bond through local institutional programmes and personally expressed acts of gratitude. In some institutions students take over faculty responsibilities their right to pontificate along with the PM! The overdose of to better appreciate the teachers contribution to education. marginalizingofficial sermons the will teachers therefore and carrythe students. on for hours. So much for However, Teachers Day!the problem For 2014 does at least not itend will here. be observed There is bya governmental intrusion in the calendar of educational deeper target. Teachers Day, the MHRD ordered, would institutions.However, Unfortunately Teachers Day that was is neverwhat it seen is becoming as an official now. now be celebrated as ‘Guru Utsav’. Despite MHRD Minister’s Ever since the Prime Minister decided that he, and not denials after strong protests erupted in some states, the the teaching community, should be the focus of children’s issue cannot be ignored. For this is a classic example of the attention on 5th September 2014, the Ministry of Human BJP’s attempts when in control of government to embark Resource Development (MHRD) has swung into over-drive. on a process of ‘Sanskritization’ of movements, public projects and campaigns, irrespective of the preferences and governments and CBSE schools, to government schools, linguistic usages of different sections of the people. Recall aidedCirculars, and memos,unaided and schools, office to orders ensure are that being all children sent to statehear how Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, names used by the popular the PM’s address ‘live’ - all technological equipment required movements that led to the creation of these states, were sought to be called ‘Vananchal’ and ‘Uttaranchal’. Recall also the PM’s two-hour address begins only at 3 p.m. So students andfor the teachers purpose will is beingnot only `generously’ be deprived funded! of ‘their’ Unfortunately, day; they introduction of ‘vedic values’ in primary schools. And MHRD hasthat already one of ensuredthe Minister’s that schools first pronouncements all over the country threatened recently serious inconvenience in some states, but everywhere it will observed a ‘Sanskrit Week’. forcewill also the have students to be toin haveschool a tilltediously after 5 longpm! Thisday willat school. cause These are not merely cases of what nomenclature or Attendance information from all schools will be sent to local language you chose to promote. It is part of a conception

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 15 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad and programme to privilege the language and content of teachers, is daily reducing them to little more than cheap the hegemony of upper castes over the country’s many labour.official tasks, and the threatening use of contract and para- languages,Brahmanical cultures texts in and an beliefattempt systems to consolidate even today. and The confirm term The AIFRTE therefore demands that the Central and ‘guru’ may be uncritically employed in common usage, but state governments immediately cease to use administrative that cannot alter the fact that it still stands for a pre-modern authority pedagogy that extols conformism and subordination to 1) to promote the spurious agenda of ‘Sanskrization’ of the exclusion of developing the habit of critical reasoning the country’s pluralist history and culture; in students. This, and its connotations of caste exclusivity, 2) to politicize and bureaucratize Teachers Day. makes it unacceptable in many parts of the country and to If the central and state governments wish to honour large sections of our population. teachers on this day, they should immediately announce that In a democratic nation it is incumbent upon us not only to oppose such usages but also to resist the ‘Sanskritization’ trained teachers, including in-service training for contract process in society at large. If allowed to proceed unchecked, and1) para-teachers, all vacant posts in the of teachersappropriate will grade; be rapidly filled with the latter would falsify the truth of the complex and multiple 2) separate staff will be appointed for mid-day meal linguistic, cultural and ritual histories of the Indian peoples. We celebrate our plurality school records, etc. so that teachers can attend to curricular and strongly resist attempts to conceal oppressive and andprogramme co-curricular and needs sufficient of students; office staff for managing the exploitative systems and practices behind empty phrases 3) teachers will not be burdened with the responsibility like ‘ancient culture’ and ‘foundational language’. Bombastic of census and election duties or carrying out administrative terms like ‘guru’ and ‘acharya’ can hardly conceal the real tasks for governments. status of teachers in the government school system where the practice of overloading them with non-academic and 3 September 2014

Brutal Attack on Students of Jadavpur University

All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) The attack comes in backdrop of seven-day long peaceful strongly condemns the inhuman assault on protesting sit-in-dharna by university students who were demanding students of Jadavpur University on the night of 16-17 the university administration to take action against anti- September 2014 by Kolkata police in collusion with the social elements who had molested a woman-student on Vice-Chancellor. He called police to break up the peaceful 28th August in the university premises. Students wanted protest by students and did nothing to prevent the brutal an independent panel of inquiry for the incident and action assault despite knowing that the protestors included to be taken against members of the University’s Internal women students who were attacked and molested by the Complaints Committee who harassed the victim and violated police and goons. Reports that the police was accompanied the clear Supreme Court guidelines laid down in the Vishakha by plainclothes policemen and goons belonging to ruling judgement. It is shocking that the legitimate demands of Trinamool Congress are a matter of serious concern. the students were not considered and appropriate steps to ensure safety of women students on the campus were not taken. It is also disturbing that the police showed no interest in moving against those who had perpetrated a serious crime despite the fact that one of the perpetrators has been

AIFRTE takes serious noteidentified. of this attack on campus democracy. Such attacks are becoming increasingly common in West Bengal and in other states where the respective state governments have not

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 16 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad elements often connected with the ruling party or its taken action against guilty police officers or anti-social woman• Action student should of Jadavpur be taken University; against police officials for not AIFRTE stands in full solidarity with the brave students acting with due diligence in the molestation case filed by the ofaffiliates. Jadavpur University and demands that, of molesting the woman student on 28th August in the university• Immediate premises; action and should be taken against those guilty the •night Immediate of 16-17 actionSeptember should 2014; be taken against police constituted to inquire into all aspects of this gruesome officials responsible for the attack on peaceful protestors on episode• An and independent recommend panelappropriate should action be immediatelyagainst all administrators including the Vice-Chancellor for colluding in the• brutal Action police should assault be on taken the students, against failing the universityto protect responsible for any acts of omission or commission. the university’s student community especially woman police officials and officials of Jadavpur University who are students and failing to ensure compliance with the Vishakha 18 September 2014 judgment guidelines;

Rajasthan: Closure of Government Schools

All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and many other states. Closure condemns the move of Rajasthan government to close of government schools across the country on such a vast 17,000 government schools in the state under garb of scale is an outcome of a long-drawn withdrawal and policy- led negligence by successive governments (at the centre state government that the step is being taken due to low and states). The crisis of government school system has enrolmentmerger and of rationalisation. students in these The justificationschools is misleading offered by andthe been particularly exacerbated by the diktats of ‘Structural cynical. It betrays complete apathy of the present regime to Adjustment Policy’ imposed by World Bank since economic actual conditions of government schools and their students reforms of 1990s. In the last nearly two and half decades, coming mostly from disadvantaged sections. Enrolment government school system has been systematically starved in government schools has come down due to the fact of funds, teachers, and infrastructure except a handful of that students and their parents/guardians are forced to Central Schools, Navodaya Vidyalayas and elite schools run by state-governments. This has been done with a clear intent of discrediting and ultimately destroying the government schools because the government school system has been school system altogether so that an unbridled market for systematicallymigrate to profit-mongering downgraded by and the oftenstate low-gradegovernment private over private schools is established. It is ironical that instead of the last two decades and more by a series of anti-education reversing this trend and strengthening the government and anti-child policies. The move of Rajasthan government school system, the much hyped but misconceived Right to Education Act, 2009 has only sped up this decline by sector.is not in benefit of the students or the government schools private schools. at allClosure but only of ingovernment benefit of the educational profit-hungry institutions private school most legitimisingAIFRTE appeals multi-layered all pro-people school systemorganisations, and profit-oriented activists and adversely affects children of disadvantaged sections individuals to join hand against this assault on government including girls, dalits, minorities and the disabled. Instead schools and educational rights of our children and youth. At of rectifying the misconceived policy framework, that is the same time, we demand the Rajasthan government to, increasingly jeopardising the educational rights of these (i) Immediately withdraw its anti-education decision, already disadvantaged sections, the state government (ii) Upgrade all existing government schools of the state, is altogether abdicating its Constitutional obligation of minimum to the standards of Central Schools (in terms of providing equitable and fully-free education to every child educational infrastructure and other norms) within a time- without discrimination and in doing so it is also violating the bound schedule, and Right to Education Act, 2009. (iii) Ensure that no child in the state is deprived of AIFRTE would like to point out that what is happening education on any ground whatsoever or is forced to pay in Rajasthan is not an isolated phenomenon. Government money in any form for getting education either in government schools are facing a systematic policy assault across the or in private school. country. In name of merger, rationalisation and other such We hope that a government which rules in name of pretentions, governments schools are being closed or our Constitution lives up to this minimum Constitutional auctioned to private players in Maharashtra (more than mandate and proves its commitment towards the people by 13,000 schools), Karnataka (more than 15,000 schools), implementing these demands. Andhra Pradesh (more than 7000 schools), Uttarakhand (more than 2200 schools), New Delhi (55 schools), Punjab, 5 October 2014

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 17 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad PM’s Mythology of Science

Inaugurating Mukesh Ambani’s new hospital in surprisingly then, his views are in tune with the ideas Mumbai on Saturday 25th October 2014, the Prime minister of the likes of Dina Nath Batra, whose books the Gujarat stunned the nation by claiming that the Mahabharat’s story government has introduced in all schools in the state. of Karna, who was not born of his mother’s womb, was That such an ideology is being promoted in schools, and evidence of the fact that “genetic science” was prevalent at students and the nation along these lines is not merely that there must have been some “plastic surgeon” who laughablethat the PM or himself outrageous. creates It official is a blatant opportunities violation to lectureof the the time, and that worshippers of Lord Ganesh should reflect Constitution which the PM, all central and state governments and political parties are bound to defend as they derive their performed the “surgery” of affixing an elephant head on to a legitimacy and authority solely from the Constitution. mythicalhuman body!! texts (Full is texttypical available of evangelists at PMO website) and preachers Further, this ideology presents a real threat to any on Thistelevision muddling and upat ofmass scientific meetings terminology where they with impress religio- attempt at promoting rational and critical thinking uninformed followers of the ancient glories of a country that currently boasts of having the largest number of of authority who present themselves as role models illiterates of any nation in the world. But to have the Prime beforeamong young children people and youthshould in be the ready country. to shoulderPublic figures their Minister promoting such vain boasts at the inauguration of responsibility towards the future generation. They have to a contemporary state-of-the-art medical facility reveals the overcome the desire to be ideologues and propagandists mind-set of a politician who, for all his talk of transforming for anti-constitutional values. nation, is unable to intellectually rise above the limitations 31 October 2014 ofIndia his intoRashtriya a scientifically Swayamsewak and Sangh technologically (RSS) training. developed Not

Police Attack on SOL Students, DU

All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) reasonable. They abused and roughed up the students and strongly condemns the vicious attack by the police on students of School of Open Learning (SOL), Delhi University When Alok (a student activist) and I objected to this, they peacefully demonstrating outside Shastri Bhawan for their spokefurther extremely confiscated rudely the speaker to us too, being saying used thatby the if students.we were legitimate demands. The demonstration was occasioned teachers then why we were instigating the students. Then by stubborn attitude of Union Minister of Human Resource they dragged Alok into the bus also.” Development who has not responded to an earlier This attack comes in series of such incidents of force memorandum by the students. The matter was urgent as being used against students raising democratic demands. classes had not been held, courses had either not started or This is not only violation of students’ rights but also shows been left mid-way. With exams round the corner the students completely insensitive attitude of governments towards were left with no option but to demonstrate peacefully to get academic requirements of students. AIFRTE demands a speedy response. that action should be taken against irresponsible Prof. Madhu Prasad, Member Presidium and authorities who ordered such assault on students Spokesperson of AFRTE, gave the following account of the and at the same time all demands of SOL students should situation: be accepted without any delay. “I was personally present right throughout the Immediate Demands of School of Open Learning Students demonstration (which started at 12 noon on 30th January 2015) and was witness to the fact that it was completely so that the whole syllabus gets completed before the peaceful. The students were gathered at the gate and were examination.i. Restart the classes of first year students immediately ii. Start the classes of second year and third year students turned into the entrance and trapped the students between immediately. thenot disturbingclosed gate traffic and inthe the bus. area Then either. the Suddenly police attacked a police busthe iii. Increase the number of study centers so that all the students and I saw several male police dragging the girls. I students can be accommodated. To accommodate all the immediately intervened verbally and physically to prevent students provide class in evening shift in regular colleges. iv. Send messages of Personal Contact Programme(PCP) turned up. Even then I tried to prevent them from pulling to each and every student. Currently there is a huge scam thethem girls from into touching the bus as the they girls had until not done policewomen any wrong finally and in sending messages to the students. There should be an were merely demanding their rights as students to meet independent enquiry into the scam of PCP classes. and submit their memorandum to the HRD Minister. But there was no attempt on the part of the police to be at all 31 January 2015

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 18 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad IN REMEMBRANCE

Remembering Sunilbhai

Sunil, our dear comrade in the struggle to build a member of its Presidium till his demise. Until last year, he state-funded national Common School System based on was Editor of AIFRTE’s Hindi newsletter, Taleem ki Ladai. Neighbourhood Schools to stop the reproduction of existing Sunil was mentored by the famed socialist ideologue social inequalities of class, caste, religion, gender, region, Kishen Patnaik as per Ram Manohar Lohia’s ideology. language and disability which are being promoted through He became one of the foremost socialist thinkers of the the present discriminatory multi-layered educational movement for alternative development model in India which structure, passed away tragically on the night of 21st April would resist subjugation of Indian economy to global capital 2014 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and protect the livelihoods and democratic rights of tribals, New Delhi. Despite his youthful lean frame, and a level of Dalits, minorities and other oppressed castes, including women. Even as a postgraduate student in economics at the Jawaharlal University (JNU), he joined the Samata Yuvjan Bhumkapura,fitness and activity Kesla that Block belied (Distt. his 54 Hoshangabad), plus years, he sufferedMadhya Sabha in 1980, the student wing of the Samata Sangathan, Pradesh.massive brainHe was hemorrhage in the midst five of a days hectic earlier election in his campaign Village a body inspired by Kishen Patnaik. It was during this period on behalf of Samajwadi Jan Parishad’s tribal candidate in that Sunil came in contact with Rajnarayan – a socialist Betul-Harda constituency. Successfully operated upon at youth - who had initiated the work of organizing tribals Bhopal to relieve the pressure on the brain, he was brought of Kesla Block in early 1980s against their oppression and to AIIMS by air ambulance and admitted therein for further exploitation. In May 1985, while pursuing his Ph.D. in treatment. However, he failed to regain consciousness. economics at JNU, Sunil decided to quit his research work At the time of his death, Sunilbhai (as he is endearingly and join Rajnarayan full-time in his movement. addressed) was General Secretary of Samajwadi Jan Parishad In November 1986, Rajnarayan and Sunil jointly led a and Editor of Samayik Varta, a well-known socialist monthly legendary foot march of tribals from Bhauran Village (Distt. journal in Hindi. He was one of the founder-members of Betul) to Bhopal on the demand of freedom from drought All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) and also a and poverty. In July 1988, they organized tribal parents and

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 19 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad children on the issue of the prolonged absence of teachers capitalist development model and engage in political from some of the village schools. This led to their arrest in dialogue with different peoples’ movements. He regularly April 1989 under false charges, being illegally handcuffed brought out booklets and wrote articles analyzing and and imprisoned for three months for which the Supreme opposing neoliberal economic policies, sharply criticizing Court later reprimanded the state authorities. All these the agencies of the global capital like the World Bank, IMF, non-violent but resolute struggles were sustained over the WTO-GATS and other foreign funding bodies for intervening years under the banner of Kisan Adivasi Sangathan (KAS), and imposing the capitalist development model on India. His a member-organisation of Samata Sangathan which was profound analysis of India’s economic crisis is available on later transformed into a political party called Samajwadi Jan http://youtu.be/-sagcT1rveE . Parishad (SJP). Sunilbhai was associated with SJP since its Sunilbhai played a prominent role in articulating and inception in 1995-96. Following Rajnarayan’s untimely death propagating the critique of such international agencies in in a road accident in April 1990, the entire responsibility AIFRTE’s campaign as well against commercialization of of carrying forward the movement in Kesla Block fell on school and higher education and staunchly opposing the Sunilbhai’s shoulders. Centre’s ‘offer’ since 2000 of bringing higher education In the early 1990s, the struggle in the region focused on under the WTO-GATS regime as a “tradeable commodity”. In the unsettled land and forest rights of the tribals displaced 2011, the Shiksha Adhikar Manch, Distt. Hoshangabad, led as a result of the construction of the Tawa Dam in 1974 by him, organized a national seminar at Itarsi (M.P.) on the over a tributary to Narmada. The Kisan Adivasi Sangathan urgency of ensuring education through the mother tongue organized a series of rallies, dharnas and chakka jams to within a multi-lingual milieu, and on the negative impact ultimately force the then Congress-led state government of the Macaulayian policy of imposing English as ‘medium of instruction’ on the questionable grounds of its global displaced tribals in the Tawa Reservoir along with the right market-value. toin cultivate 1996 to the concede banks fishingof the reservoir and marketing when water rights receded. to the For this purpose, the movement under the leadership of the representatives of various political parties at a pre- Sunilbhai led to the formation of Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS), a electionOn 7th debate, April organized2014, Sunilbhai by Shiksha firmly Adhikar and clearly Manch, addressed Bhopal, registered confederation of 36 primary cooperative societies against the anti-democratic character and consequences of the current neo-liberal education policy which is aggressively promoting privatization and commercialisation theof tribal reservoir fishermen was inleased the villages to TMS, around an theinspiring reservoir. example of the education system. For his statement on education of Duringcommunity in the management next five years,of natural the period resources for which and on behalf of Samajvadi Jan Parishad, please visit weblink: sustainable development was established. The apparent http://youtu.be/MfD_-2Jlgyg. recurrent losses under the private contractors and state- Sunilbhai’s commitment to the cause of equality and owned Fisheries Development Corporation were converted social justice and his ability to actively carry forward the struggle for a truly democratic social order was an to distant markets. This led to a credible increase in the inspiration to all who had worked with him. In losing him so by TMS into net profit. The packed fish was transported draw-down cultivation and collection and sale of minor forest to shoulder with him for many more years, the struggle for fishermen’s income even as many of them also engaged in people’ssuddenly democratic when we were rights confident has been of moving dealt a aheadsevere shoulder blow. It ofproduce. two months Scientific every practices year were of propagatedrearing fish-seed by TMS. fingerlings At New Delhi’s Lodhi Road Electric Crematorium, to replenishIn spite of stocks, its success to spare and juvenilenation-wide fish andattention, ‘closed the season’ state appropriatelywill be difficult withoutto fill the voidany hisreligious passing riteshas created. and to the government refused to renew the lease when the contract resounding cries of Inquilab Zindabad, comrades-in-arms came up for renewal in December 2001. TMS had no option and friends bid farewell to Sunilbhai on 22nd April 2014. but to launch an agitation again which forced the government AIFRTE’s Madhu Prasad (Member of the Presidium and National Spokesperson) and Vikas Gupta, Prem Chand and years. However, when the contract came up for second Radhika Menon (all Members of the National Executive) renewal(still Congress-led) in 2006, the to BJP-led renew government the contract refused for another to renew five were among them. AIFRTE, its members and member-organizations salute and middle-men. The sustained agitation by the tribals the courageous and determined life of Sunilbhai and offer the lease under pressure from fish traders, contractors the deepest condolences to his wife Smita and to his children, experts from all over the country could make no impact Iqbal and Shiuli, all of whom played a proactive constitutive onsupported the state by government. intellectuals, With environmentalists this, the demonstration and fisheries of role in building and concretising his life-long mission. With an alternative development model came to an end and the Sunilbhai’s passing away, it befalls all of us to collectively displaced tribals stood once again displaced and denied of continue, even more vigorously than before, to carry forward their right to livelihood. the struggle to create a just and equal society that was the Following in the footsteps of Kishen Patnaik, Sunilbhai goal he had untiringly striven for. would tour the length and breadth of the country to spread the socialist ideology and its critique of the prevailing New Delhi, May 2014

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 20 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Comrade Govind Pansare: A People’s Leader

All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) expresses its deep condolences on tragic death of veteran portrayal of Shivaji, and had repeatedly tried to obstruct the communist leader, trade unionist and prominent critic of saleCommunal of this book, outfits despite were stronglywhich the opposed book sold to a this record secular one right wing forces, Comrade Govind Pansare following a lakh copies in Maharashtra, apart from being translated into murderous attack on February 16. In an attack reminiscent several Indian languages. of the murder of Dr. Narendra Dabholkar in 2013, Comrade With the rise of right wing forces in the country, and their Pansare was attacked by motor-bike borne assailants in coming to power both at the Centre and in Maharashtra Kolhapur as he was returning from his morning walk with state, Com. Pansare had launched an aggressive campaign to expose their real pro-corporate and anti-people agenda. He covered gunmen repeatedly shot at him. Comrade Pansare had launched a campaign against the two-faced strategy of washis wifestruck Comrade thrice on Uma his chest Pansare. and Theneck, pistol-toting, while Comrade muffler- Uma the BJP using the name of Mahatma Gandhi on one hand and Pansare suffered a depressed skull fracture on the left side glorifying Nathuram Godse on the other. of her head. Pansare had received numerous threats for his bold We condemn this cowardly murder of 82-year old leader stand against right wing forces. Only recently, he had been of the people of Maharashtra. Comrade Govind Pansare threatened with dire consequences during a lecture in Shivaji University, where he had condemned the exercise of marginalised sections of society and an indefatigable glorifying Gandhi’s killer in the strongest words. propagandistwas an uncompromising for peace and fighter secularism. for the rights He was of the closely most First the killing of Dr. Dabholkar, and now this murderous associated with various social movements, especially the attack on Com. Govind Pansare, are an indication of the movements of the unorganised sector workers, such as growing offensive of fascist forces in the country. Fascist farm laborers, domestic helps, auto-rickshaw union, milk right-wing forces are out to strangulate and silence voices producers, slum dwellers and others. Recently, he was that are speaking out in defense of rationalism, secularism, leading an anti-toll agitation in Kolhapur. He was also a very democracy and socialism, fundamental tenets of the Indian Constitution. We strongly condemn these attacks, and pledge most popular writings was a book on Chatrapati Shivaji, our support to the struggle of these stalwarts, and reiterate ‘Shivajiprolific Kaunwriter Hota?’ and very (Who popular was Shivaji?). public speaker. Basing himselfOne of hison our resolve to advance their struggle. historical documents, he had shown in this book how Shivaji was an extremely secular and people’s king, as against the 23 February 2015 portrayal of Shivaji as a Hindu king by communal outfits. RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 21 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Dabholkar Is Done A Gandhi

Anand Teltumbde

“You never see animals going through the absurd and profession for little over a decade, he devoted himself to the often horrible fooleries of magic and religion. . . . Only man task of removing superstitions from the society under the behaves with such gratuitous folly.” ? Aldous Huxley aegis of the Maharashtra Andha Shraddha Nirmulan Samitii Maharashtra had one more shame added to a long list (Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee), of which of shames it accumulated through history. On 20 August he was the founder president. He always emphasized that he it killed Dr Narendra Dabholkar, a committed rationalist was not against any faith but the superstitions practiced in the name of faith. He wrote books and edited the well known humbug that exists in the state, which never tires calling itself magazine Sadhana started by a legendary socialist Sane progressivewho had personified and claiming the the struggle legacy against of Phule superstition and Ambedkar. and Guruji. He was a liberal who avoided extremity in thought It comfortably forgets that the objective facts completely and action but remained resolute about his mission. A man contradict this claim. It is the state that abused Savitribai of integrity, he toured all over the state addressing people and Jotiba Phule, humiliated Dr Ambedkar, begot the and conducting workshops for youth educating them against the evil of superstitions with missionary zeal. He spoke Hindu Mahasabha, the Samarasata Manch and innumerable unsparingly against the buwa s (mendicants claiming to suchpoisonous others; outfits it contributed like Rashtriya staunch Swanyamsevak social reactionaries Sangh, that the perform miracles) and other practitioners of black magic culminated in making of Nathuram Godse who gunned down who cheated and defrauded people of their hard earned Gandhi, that trend extends down to Abhinav Bharat in the monies. While many of them were in a petty category living off the offerings from people, some were bigwigs like Asaram executing a series of terrorist acts. It has a unique distinction Bapu and Nirmal Baba and others of their ilk, who had huge oftwenty having first had century a Brahmanist that is credited regime within history masterminding that tied a andpot following and huge wealth. Their programmes are beamed round the neck and a broom to the behind of Dalits. It still on our national television channels across the country. And of course behind them are the institutions of Hindu Rashtra, against Dalits with shameful markers like Khairlanji. It does notcontributes realize thatsignificantly it is because to the of national its deep statistics drawn ofreactionary atrocities with their mighty propagandist infrastructure comprising character Phule and Ambedkar had to take birth on its websites,the strategic electronic multi-fanged media and outfits multi-lingual of the Sanghpress. Pariwar, An uncompromising rationalist Dabholkar was against ideals, it continues with its reaction and keeps on killing its castes. He had taken part in agitations like the movement progressiveland. It is abiding sons and shame daughters that whilelike Narendra it flaunts Dabholkar. them as its protesting for the equality of Dalits , against caste Dr Dabholkar was not a kind of person who would provoke discrimination , atrocities and naming the Marathwada one to commit his murder. After practicing his medical University after Babasaheb Ambedkar . He had recently come out in open heavily against it in a case of honour killing in Nashik. The shocking case related with a father belonging to Joshi – a nomadic tribe (NT) (it shows, in plains the tribes have been fully casteized), killing his nine-month pregnant daughter for marrying out of the caste at the instance of the caste panchayat (a governing council of caste). The evil practice was exposed by a letter written by one Anna Hingmire, also of the Joshi caste, to the police commissioner on July 3, 2013, complaining against the Jat Panchayat of his caste for harassing him and his family as his daughter had married a boy of another caste. No one would have had any inkling about this heinous practice all these years if this murder and subsequent investigation had not exposed it. It is not a matter of a particular caste; the caste panchayats have always been operational in some form of the other in every caste with varying degree of power. There has been notable resurgence in them during the last two decades of globalization, not only in the Jatland of Haryana or Hindi heartland of UP and Bihar but also elsewhere and surely in Phule-Ambedkar’s Maharashtra. It was natural that Dr Dabholkar, of all the progressively people, came vehemently against it.

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 22 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad Naturally, he was targeted by the orthodox elements. The knew that these Babas could go to any extent, murder being Hindu Sanatan Sanstha (organization of the orthodox Hindus), the minor matter, to save their thriving empire of billions. along with the entire Sangh Pariwar with its extensions like Dabholkar, in his imitable way dared them. Shiv Sena, and of course the persons and establishments Dabholkar wanted an Act –Maharashtra Andhashraddha which thrived on the gullibility of people were against him. Nirmulan Bill (Eradication of superstitions Bill) be passed The Hindu Sanatan Sanstha has been in forefront in this and accordingly submitted a draft created by him in the late virulent opposition. It carried a tirade against him in its organ 1990s. The bill has had a controversial history and has gone called Sanatan Prabhat, published in many languages. This through several drafts and 29 amendments in the last decade. paper had not only written venomously against Dabholkar but also prominently published Dabholkar’s photo crossing and after its nod, was tabled in the Assembly in April 2005. It it with bold red, signifying his imminent elimination. What wasIt was surprisingly first put up opposed before bythe the cabinet treasury for benchesdiscussion itself. in 2003After diluting some of its provisions as indicated by the Assembly its hatred for Dabholkar even in the wake of his murder. Just and by the discussions with more than 100 MLAs, the revised thecould next be theday more (21 August) direct threat when than the this!entire It hasstate never was hiddenstruck draft was tabled again to the state Assembly, which now with shock and grief, it commented in its organ that it was passed it but it got stuck in the Legislative Council. The latter the grace of god that Dabholkar met with such a death. decided to send it to the joint select committee, which held Invoking Gita, it wrote, “one who is born is sure to die; the four meetings and invited suggestions and objections from birth and death are according to one’s destiny. Everybody the public. A whopping 1.17 lakh responses were received; gets the fruit of his karma (actions). Instead of dying of 38887 against and 78869 in favour. Since the government illness in a bedridden state or dying a painful death after was dissolved after the 2009 elections, the bill had lapsed an operation, the death Dabholkar met with was a grace of and had to be again put up before the cabinet in July 2011, god.” In a press conference held in Mumbai by the Sanatan now in a substantially diluted form. After the cabinet Sanstha to declare that it did not have any connection with clearance it was tabled before the Assembly in August this the murder, its spokespersons were absolutely unapologetic year and had not yet come for the discussion. In process, the and unrepentant about Dabholkar’s death. These worthies, original Andhashraddha Nirmulan Bill has become the Anti- on the contrary declared that they would publish many Jaadu Tona Bill (Anti-Black Magic Bill) after providing for all more photos with red cross as Dabholar’s, directly implying kinds of misgivings of opponents, but still it was opposed that they would carry out elimination of many people who by the Hindu extremist organizations across the board and walk the path Dabholkar did. Sanatan Prabhat carried the warkari sect (reportedly as incited by the Hindutva an illustration showing a mighty elephant representing forces), which feared that it would adversely impact their the Sanatan Sanstha marching ahead ignoring a fellow religious customs and traditions. While Dabholkar allayed representing its opposition. It exhorted its readers to stop these fears by saying that there was not a single word about those who are heaping accusations on the religion-loving God or religion in the entire bill; the freedom of worship or Sanatanis. practicing religion could not be taken away by anyone as they The other group opposed to Dabholkar comprised all were enshrined in the Indian Constitution, no such rationale those who had made exploiting gullibility of masses as their would work with the extremist elements that bayed only for profession. It included quasi-begging pedestrians ranging his blood. from jogis and joginis who carried gods and goddesses There has been a massive turn out of people in protest on their heads and asked offerings from people to fortune all over Maharashtra against this ghastly murder. People at foretellers, who sold their service at paltry fees. But it also many places booed away politicians and even heckled the included individuals like Asaram Bapus and Nirmal Babas, chief Minister, Prithwiraj Chavan when he customarily went who have effectively institutionalized themselves into a big to pay homage to Dabholkar at his home in Satara. People business. They have huge following, money and protection demanded the bill for which Dabholkar struggled for 18 long from powerful. They address their followers on several years be passed immediately. As a damage control exercise, television channels across the country. For instance, Nirmal the government decided to take out an Anti-Jaadu Tona baba whom Dabholkar had taken on recently, (see his ordinance to enforce the provisions of the bill. The ordinance speech: Nirmal Baba: Shodh ani Bodh (Nirmal Baba: Enquiry has always been the easy way in our democracy but when it and Lessons) on YouTube) ran his paid programme, Nirmal Darbar broadcast by approximately 40 different television it would be passed as hinted by the BJP, which expressed its channels including such biggies as AXN, TV Asia, Star News, oppositioncomes for ratification to the ordinance before even the Assembly, in the heat it ofis theunlikely moment. that SAB TV selling people divine ‘ kripa ‘ (blessings) as antidote The opponents like Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Sanatan or solution to their problems. HisSamagam meetings had Sansthan argue that the existing laws are adequate for tickets for Rs. 2000 . Most of these Babas having dubious taking action against the offences listed in the bill. Another histories were caught many times with criminal acts ranging argument they make is that the number of superstitions- from defrauding people to sexual misconduct with their related crimes committed is minimal and proudly cite that female followers (as I write, Asaram is being accused by a 16-year old girl of raping her) but such is their power that Mumbai. These arguments themselves indicate the need for they are rarely touched. Not many people could muster aduring special the Act last to fivetackle years, these only peculiar 17 cases crimes were which registered tend toin courage to speak against them, leave apart carrying a public campaign obviously for the fear of consequences. Everyone Who killed Dr Narendra Dabholkar may remain possibly filter out of the IPC net.

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 23 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad an unsolved riddle like who killed Hemant Karkare and considered prerequisite for any radical change. He pursued like rather numerous other such earlier cases despite the it with exemplary commitment and zeal. To my misgivings Maharashtra government exhibiting its keenness in this case that there was only a thin line difference between faith and to catch the culprits by announcing a Rs 10 lakh prize to blind faith or that an Act might not eradicate a pervasive anyone who provides information on them. As I write more religio-cultural and social evil that is reinforced further with than 24 hours have already passed and there is no clue to increasing economic crisis of living for the masses making the police as to who killed him. Aren’t there really any clue? them increasingly vulnerable, he would counter with a simple sentence that a beginning had to be made and that he neither thought of nor aimed at any revolution as I did. mightEven a belong casual toreader anyone, of this but articlethere is can not get much sufficient doubt cluewhose as He was unlike Gandhi in many ways but still sounded like brainto who has are been behind behind the culprits. it. Can the The people finger behindwho have the directly trigger one. Right since he began his social life in early eighties, crossed his picture in public view implying his imminent he faced several threats and even physical attacks but he elimination not be the suspects? Can Nirmal Baba or Asaram rejected police protection. According to the Times of India, Bapu or any such bigwig against whom Dabholkar spoke he had stated, “If I have to take police protection in my own not be the possible subjects for interrogation? Can the Jat country from my own people, then there is something wrong Panchayat kingpins not be in the eye of suspicion? No murder investigation may be as lucky as to have as few and concrete constitution and it is not against anyone, but for everyone.” clues as in this case. In any other case, the police would have Hiswith Hindutva me, I’m opponents fighting within however the did framework not share of the the dilemma Indian rounded up all kinds of people, thrashed them and extracted and were determined to make him a Gandhi. The assassins’ leads in process. Imagine, for instance some Hindu Baba was bullets seem to have done it for them. The only difference is killed. Without even batting an eyelid, police would round up dozens of Muslim boys and unleash horror on them. Even in this case they might get some Sayed or Bashir as the ones that we may never get hold(Source: of Nathuram! www.countercurrents.org) who pulled the trigger on Dabholkar. Dr Narendra Dabholkar, as I personally knew him, was a clear-headed person who knew what he was doing. Dr Anand Teltumbde is a writer, political analyst, civil rights He had set a modest goal for himslef, to make the society activist and Presidium Member of AIFRTE. He may be contacted at [email protected] superstition free and imbibe scientific outlook, which he

Dabholkar’s legacy

Dr. Dabholkar’s greatest victory — a law against superstition and black magic — came posthumously, after a dogged 18-year struggle. One day after he was killed, the Maharashtra government cleared an ordinance, and in December 2013, a law against superstitious practices. The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013 is a diluted version of the ambitious draft Dr. Dabholkar had championed. It does not allow third parties to lodge complaints. Only the affected party has that right. However, the law has already had a massive impact with nearly 80 cases being registered across the State in less than a year. These include cases against human sacrifice, the sexual exploitation of women by local godmen and the fleecing of the gullible by promises of instant wealth. However, the cases have mostly come to the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) set up by Dr. Dabholkar and then been registered with the police. “In the last year, we have received nearly one such complaint daily,” says MANS working president Avinash Patil. The survival of the organisation, founded nearly three decades ago, has been critical to continuing his campaign. The deceptively gentle activist had built a robust movement across all the districts in the State, drawing on students and volunteers to propel the battle against superstition. Even today, MANS has nearly 250 branches and 5,000 volunteers. “Sustaining the organisation was a challenge. With his death we lost our security cover. But we have survived and passed the test,” says Mr. Patil.

(Published in The Hindu; 20 August 2014)

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 24 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad They Want Us to Stop Singing Our Songs

Laltu

Are you scared? I feel scared. I fear for your and my poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz said, ‘Nisar main teri galiyon pe aye life. News comes ever more frequently that another decent watan ki chali hai rasm ki koi na sar utha kar chale (Such person has disappeared from the face of the Earth. It is a is the norm that no one should walk with head high on the long list - ...Narendra Dabholkar, Comrade Pansare, Avijit streets, what more can I say of my country)’. So we go on Roy, Sabeen Mahmud... And now we write that there was a living our lives wondering whose turn it is next.

Right under the noses of the army and the Mullahs, she ran This hateful politics of violence and eliminating any kind awoman; cafe, a aplace woman where who you liked could to callcome ‘the for second a guftagoo, floor’ sher- T2F. of vocal opposition is all around us all across South Asia. o-shairy- a poetry reading over a cup of tea, a gossip with Those who are killed are peaceful activists who plead for friends on the happenings of the day. sanity in times of hatred and jingoism with nothing other than a shared concern for a tolerant, equal society – why is Sabeen Mahmud was taken away from us like the ones before her. Two clean faced young men came on a bike and but a little thought reveals that peace and love are powerful toolsthis cause against for bigotry. fear? AtAnd first of course, glance, the it looks regressive quite mind-set, puzzling, her fault? She was a human rights activist, and she had justfired come shots out at her.of a Anotherseminar wonderfulon the state soul of humangone; What rights was in an extreme of wiping out Pansares and Sabeens. As Naazim Balochistan province of Pakistan. Hikmetinfected wrotewith a addressing fill of hatred, Paul cannot Robeson, bear them,‘They Sodo they not wantgo to us to sing our songs, brother Robeson.’ Indeed, they are Will all the decent people disappear into thin air like driven to insanity as we sing of love and brother-sisterhood. this? There are those who do not want us to live. They fear So they kill us. us. They fear us for what we are, simply human. They fear us more than we fear them because we talk of their intolerance, How long will they go on killing? How many will they kill? their bigotry. While we live on facing our fears, they work Facing our fears, we tell ourselves everyday, ‘No more, we in insidious manners hatching their murder plots, spreading must stand and confront it now.’ They may have taken away hatred among innocent people. They spread fear based on Sabeen’s body from us, she will live in our hearts. There are hatred and sometimes the collective fear becomes a political more of us singing and loving all over the horizons, we the tool and riding on the waves of hatred, the Mullahs, the armies decent ones. We are together, and we challenge them. The and the hindutva brigades come to power. Even if you do not confront them head on, all you want is to discuss matters, our words of love and care for the wretched of the Earth. Let help people to speak up, they fear you. And insanity drives usmore take they up thekill, task the strongerthat we are our destined resolve isfor. to fight back with them to go on killing rampages. If you talk of Balochistan in Pakistan, you are a target and if you talk of oppression of people in Kashmir in India, you face the attacks. As the great Dr. H. S. Laltu is a writer, poet and teaches science at IIIT, Hyderabad

We Are All Mukto-Mona

subhash gatade

‘Our aim is to build a society which will not be bound by the altar of rationalism. This unending struggle between rationalism dictates of arbitrary authority, comfortable superstition, stifling and irrationalism is going on since ages and it is for you to decide tradition, or suffocating orthodoxy but would rather be based on whether it needs change or not.” reason, compassion, humanity, equality and science’. – Comrade Pansare – Avijit Roy Words, ideas scare fundoos rather fundamentalists of “Dr Dabholkar who was fighting against superstition was every kind, colour and stripe. assasinated because he was a rationalist. All such people who have The mere possibility that a free mind can question, embarked upon a path of reason and rationalism, propagated these challenge and ultimately upturn the ‘ultimate truth’ the ideas, had to make tremendous sacrifices. Dr Dabholkar was not the faithful have received through their ‘holy books’ rather first and would not be the last person who sacrificed himself on the

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 25 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad awaken them from deep slumber. Many of his books have gone into multiple editions but his most popular monograph is ‘Shivaji Kon Hota ?’ (Who was Shivaji) – which has sold more than one lakh copies and has been translated in few other languages as well. In this booklet, Com Pansare had tried to counter the appropriation of medieval era King Shivaji’s by Hindutva Supremacist forces who projected his image of a ‘Hindu King’ opposed to Muslims. Pansare with painstaking research threw light on his policies and administration and provided documentary proof that he had many Muslims in top positions of his army and one of his close comrade in his escape from Aurangjeb’s custody was Madari Mehtar and thus tried to present a very balanced picture of his contributions. In an ambience dominated by the unnerves them and they react in the only way they are likes of RSS and Shiv Sena, his little monograph captured familiar with. Resort to machetes to take on ideas or use meat imagination of the ordinary people and acted as a ‘weapon’ cleavers to deal with unchained minds, quoting sanction from the same ‘books of wisdom’. an inclusive polity. Challenging communal elements from Close on the heels of one such silencing of voices of bothin the the hands communities of individuals, he formationsemphasised who that were it is fighting high time for reason, sanity, justice, progress on the streets of Kolhapur that people recognise their composite heritage and build (India) – assassination of 82 year old Communist leader solidarities cutting across caste, communities. Com Govind Pansare by Hindutva zealots – has come the At one place in the book he writes: news about similar killing of 42 year old Avijit Roy, by Today Muslims are being attacked by raising machete wielding Islamist militants on the streets of Dhaka Shivaji’s name and similarly Dalits are also under (Bangladesh), when the prominent Bangladeshi-American attack by those who hail Shivaji’s name … All those people who oppose reservation also hail Shivaji’s name ideas and secularism, was coming out of the Ekushe book fair but forget that Shivaji even adopted a policy of giving blogger, a author, an advocate of free expression, scientific jobs to Dalits . One discovers today that riots are taking wounded in her attempt to shield Avijit from attackers and is place between Hindus and Muslims hailing Shivaji’s along with his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonna. She was also badly now admitted to ICU. name. These fanatics of religions should be told that Apparently there was nothing common between Comrade Shivaji was never a fanatic. He was a believer but he Pansare and Avijit, while Com Pansare had been active with did not hate Muslims, in fact, had many Muslims in top the Communist movement since his young days in various positions in his army. capacities and wrote in Marathi lambasting the Communal and casteist forces and was equally at ease in leading people’s a dozen books, mostly about science, philosophy and movement against toll tax and participating vigorously in materialism.Avijit was aHis also last a prolific books writerObisshahser and had Dorshon penned down(The anti-superstition campaigns, whereas Avijit happened to Philosophy of Disbelief) and Biswasher Virus (The Virus of be a software engineer by profession, who had started the Faith), were well received around the world. In the Virus of bilingual website ‘Mukto-mona’ (Free Mind) in 2000 which Faith his main argument is that “faith-based terrorism will was very popular among free-thinkers, rationalists, sceptics wreak havoc on society in epidemic proportions”. In his last and humanists and was also in the forefront of coordinating article in Free Enquiry he said international protests against government censorship and “To me, religious extremism is like a highly imprisonment of bloggers back home. contagious virus. My own recent experiences in this It is a different matter that both shared equal antipathy regard verify the horrific reality that such religious towards religious extremism of every kind and had taken extremism is a virus of faith.”. upon themselves the task of combating it in every possible While they were rather alone when their assasins came way at tremendous risk to their own selves. Threats were but thousands of people from all walks of life had gathered to part of their lives, not some time ago one such zealot had even threatened Com Pansare with a warning that ‘Tumcha While a sea of humanity had gathered in Kolhapur to see Dabholkar karu’ (You will face consequences like Dabholkar) pay their last respects to them to give them a final farewell. in a unsigned letter, reminding him of the assassination of placedCom Pansare’s on a platform last remains erected andat the giving base himof Dhaka final ‘RedUniversity’s Salute’ continued to face similar threats regularly through emails AparajeyoAvijit’s final Bangla, journey the was symbolic equally architecture moving. The built coffin in of memory Avijit was of a great fighter for rationalism in July 2013 and Avijit also and on facebook. It is now history none of them decided to the Bangladesh Freedom Fighters of 1971. Keeping in with his tone down their attacks against obscurantism, closing of wish, Avijit’s body was handed over to Dhaka Medical College minds and what Avijit use to say ‘virus of faith’. Hospital for medical research. It is worth emphasising that both of them also shared passion for words. (Excerpts of an article from www.kafila.org) Com Pansare wielded pen like a sword and wrote articles, booklets, books in Marathi to sensitise people around and Subhash Gatade is a political commentator, writer and an activist.

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 26 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad INTERNATIONAL

Chilean artist steals and destroys $500 million worth of student debt papers

Here’s one inventive way to deal with the student debt problem. Late last week, Chilean police arrived at Santiago’s Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral and removed a white bin of gray ash — allegedly all that remained of $500 million worth of student debt notes. The case of the destroyed student debt traces back to a hastily shot home video, a half-smoked cigarette, and a disheveled artist named Papas Fritas. In the video, which went viral last week in Chile, Papas Fritas confessed he had recently stolen the studentdocuments loan from debt]. the We for-profit have to Universidadlose our fear, del our Mar. fear Then of being he set thought them ablaze of as criminals in a defiant, because brazen we’re act ofpoor. art. I am just like you, living“It’s a sh—yover,” declaredlife, and I Papaslive it dayFritas, by whichday. means “french fries.” “It’s finished. You don’t have to pay another peso [of your

Matters of love aside, the artist’s destruction of the loan documents illustrates a years-long opposition to Chile’s for- French Fries finished his screed: “This is my act of love for you.” public good, but after he came to power in 1973, education was commoditized and privatized. Soon, the per capita cost profit universities, a remnant of General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. Before his tenure, education was considered a expensive schools geared toward the wealthy and “leaving public schools with shrinking budgets to educate the country’s mostof education vulnerable in Chileand disadvantaged was among the students,” highest inaccording the world. to thisIt fostered staggering a highly-stratified Boston Review education analysis on system, Chile’s with education. incredibly “Everyone in Chile can recite the following facts: adjusted for income, Chile has the most expensive higher education in the world,” the essay begins. “Per student, the country spends less than any other, and the student spends more. These facts were once a point of pride.” But pride quickly gave way to desperation. Student protests ripped across the country in 2006, demanding education reform in the face of crippling debt. ”We have to say once again that education is not a consumer product, education is a right,” one student leader told Fox News Latino in 2012. “And to make it so, we need a state that ensures adequate regulation of the private sector and which also permits the strengthening of the public sector.”

President Michelle Bachelet entered office in March promising to radically reform Chile’s education system and stop universitiesFueling the from existing profiting discontent too much. was At a studentthe same march time, two the weeksgovernment ago that was incorporated continuing thousandsits shutdown of students of the Universidad and bolstered del Mar following a discovery of “financial irregularities,” according to the Santiago Times. schools, which today are technically illegal but managea petition to to work the aroundgovernment the law. to sanction for-profit Enter Papas Fritas, whose real name is Francisco Tapia. Fritas claims he was involved in a recent student takeover of Universidad del Mar, where he devised a piece of artwork that he says would strike back at student debt and free its prisoners. So he allegedly stole the documents, burned them and poured their ashes into a bin for an exhibit. The theft has created a bevy of headaches for the embattled university, which must now sue each student individually to secure a repayment of the debt, reports the Santiago Times. Students, meanwhile, argue the incurred debt was illegal anyway and are refusing to pay it. And what’s to become of Papas Fritas? According to the Santiago Times, he may be going to jail for one to five years for lifting the documents.

(Published in The Washington; 19 May 2014)

RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION for Emancipation 27 Volume 1, Issue 1, April 2015; Hyderabad The Pedagogic Mahamantra of AISSY-2104:

Go to the people, Work with them, Share their concerns, Perceptions and dreams! Learn from them, Reconstruct your ideas, Translate into kala jatha, Transform into new struggles! And return to the people What you have learnt from them, Critically enriched and nuanced, As you move onwards!

Printed, published and owned by Donkada Ramesh Patnaik (11-4-169/1/A, Flat no 306, Pleasant Apartments, Red Hills, Lakadikapool, Khairatabad, Hyderabad 500004). Printed at Charita Impressions, 1-9-1126/B, Azambad, Hyderabad 500020 and published at 11-4-169/1/A, Flat no 306, Pleasant Apartments, Red Hills, Lakadikapool, Khairatabad, Hyderabad 500004. Editor: Donkada Ramesh Patnaik (Organising Secretary, All India Forum for Right to Education). Language of Publication: English