As Covid 19 has created havoc all rounds, the rulers of certain countries are using it to further intensify their set agendas. The democratic freedoms are being curtailed in certain forms, the reaction to which has come in America in the form of a campaign, which is opposing “stifling” cultural climate that is imposing “ideological conformity” and weakening “norms of open debate and toleration of differences”. In India similar intimidations have been intensified. In addition the occasion has been used by the sectarian forces first to link the spread of Corona to Muslim community and now in the name of reducing the burden of curriculum certain chapters on core concepts related to Indian nationalism are being deleted from the text books.
It has been reported that chapters on federalism, citizenship, nationalism, secularism, Human Rights, Legal Aid and Local Self Government and the like are being dropped. Education has been an important area for communal forces and they constantly keep saying that leftists have dominated the curriculum content, it suffers from the impact of Macaulay, Marx and Mohammad and so needs to be Indianized. The first such attempt was done when BJP came to power in 1998 as NDA and had Murli Manohar Joshi as the MHRD minister. He brought the changes which were termed as ‘saffronization of education’. Their focus is more on social science. Some of the highlights of this were introduction of subjects like Astrology and Paurohitya, and chapters defending caste system, nationalism of the type of Hitler was praised.
With defeat of NDA in 2004, the UPA did try to rectify some of these distortions. Again after 2014 the RSS affiliates working in the area of education have been active, interacting with MHRD officials to impress upon them the need to change the curriculum matching with their Hindu nationalist agenda. Its ‘Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas’ has been asking for removal of English, Urdu words in the texts. It has asked for removal of thoughts of Rabindranath Tagore on Nationalism, extracts of autobiography of M F Husain, references to benevolence of Muslim rulers, references to BJP being Hindu party, apology of Dr. Manmohan Singh for anti Sikh pogrom of 1984, the reference to killings of Gujarat carnage in 2002 among others. This they call as Bhartiykaran of syllabus.
As RSS is a multithreaded hydra one of its pracharak Dinanath Batra has set up ‘Shiksha Bachao Abhiyan Samiti’ which has been pressurizing various publishers to drop the books which are not conforming to their ideology. One recalls their pressuring withdrawal of Wendy Doniger’s ‘The Hindus’, as it does present the ancient India through the concerns of dalits and women. Mr. Batra has already come out with a set of nine books for school curriculum, giving the RSS view of the past and RSS understanding of social sciences. These have already been translated into Gujarati and thousands of the sets of these books are being used in Gujarat Schools.
The present step of deleting parts of curriculum which gives the basics of Indian Nationalism, secularism and human rights is a further step in the same direction. These are the topics which have made the Hindu nationalists uncomfortable during last few years. They have been defaming secularism. They removed it from the preamble of Indian constitution, when they put out an ad on the eve of Republic day in 2015. From last few decades since the Ram Temple movement was brought up, simultaneously the secular ethos of India’s freedom movement and secular values of Indian constitution have been constantly criticized. Many an RSS ideologues and BJP leaders have been asking for change of Indian Constitution for this very reason.
Secularism is part of the concept of Indian nationalism. In the name of religious nationalism, sectarian divisive nationalism they have been attacking various student leaders in particular. When we study Nationalism, the very genesis of Indian nationalism tells us the plurality of our freedom movement with its anti colonial roots. The struggle was for Indian nationalism and so the Muslims and Hindu communalists kept aloof from this great struggle against colonial masters, it was this struggle which built the Indian nation with all its diversity.
Similarly as we have equal rights as citizens the chapters on citizenship are being dropped. Federalism has been the core part of India’s administrative and political structure. As the dictatorial tendencies are becoming stronger, federalism is bound to suffer and that explains the dropping of this subject. Democracy is decentralization of power. Power reaching the lowermost part of the system, the villages and average citizens. This got reflected in Local self Government. The power is distributed among villages, cities, state and center. By removing chapters on federalism and local self government, the indications of the ideology of ruling party are on display.
While we are not dealing with all the portents of the planned omissions, one more aspect that related to dropping of chapter on Human rights needs our attention. The concept of Human rights and dignity are interlinked. This concept of Human rights also has international ramifications. India is signatory to many an UN covenants related to Human rights. The indications are clear that now rights will be for the few elite and ‘duties’ for the large deprived sections will be put on the forefront.
In a way this incidental ‘Corona gifted opportunity’ to the ruling Government is being fully used to enhance the agenda of ruling party in the arena of Educational Curriculum. The part of curriculum with which the ruling party is uncomfortable is being removed. This act of omission does supplement their other acts of commission in changing the shape of educational curriculum, which are reflected in RSS affiliates’ suggestions to MHRD regarding Bhartiyakaran of contents of syllabus. As per this the things like regarding the great epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata as History, the things like India having all the stem cell technology, plastic surgery, aviation science etc. will have a place in the changes planned by communal forces!
Comments
I was surprised with these people who run educational institutions since long, and the management not understand the rights of Muslims women, that is also simple wearing scarf as it is a moral and religious rightrs of muslim women,and girls, it covers the chastity and aura of a girl ,a mother , and as well all women, but why these nuns are discriminating with muslim community only, by the way why they cannot work without their scrafs inside school or college, Every muslim women is a spiritually religious to wear scraf or cover the chastity with the scarf ..complare to few nuns only wear scarfs since it is their religious rights.
I am asking the management of college to settle the matter peacefully .
No one is abusing her, but for the decision what she has taken is just showing her personality whether she is a angel or simply a common woman who is making a religious chaos between two Community. Respect each others community is what we learn from from Masjid and Church. But here this is going some other way.need to stop before the situation is worsened
I request all the muslim students to wear the same dress what the madam is wearing - problem solved..
Angle......... my foot!!!...if man can become angle then i would have been the first...
Shocked to read brainless comments from Muslims. Muslims cannot build an institution like St Agnes College in Mangalore. But they talk about their rights in Christian and Hindu managed colleges. What a tragedy. May Allah grant good sense to Muslims so that they realize their foolishness.
Never expected such a drity mind set opinion form a religious preacher. She can wear full hijab and Muslim students not permitted. It is well clear to understand what time of human being she is and what is her intention.
Check her passport how many times she visited isreal
Dear Management
When you are implementing any rule's, it should be such that you should be following it. If your principal herself is wearing then how ethical is that to stop the students wearing it.
Hijab is for to cover the modesty and not for exposing.!! Please respect each others propsective.
Sr Dr M Jeswina AC is not a divine woman. She is an angel. Those who mock her must be extremists or anti-social elements.
One more Threat for Indian Democracy by the Principal of St. Agnes College Mangalore, Sr Dr M Jeswina AC.
If the Principal can wear the Scarf, then why Shouldn’t the Students.
Again why its Double standard and what is the Method behind this policy.
Common, once again we all indian’s should BIGOT this policy of St Agnes College Mangalore.
i donno hu ur. but i felt ur comment on the issue of head scarf as funny. as hijab for men and women is farl or compulsory den u need to follow it. to be a citizen of a country u must follow the rules of that country. similarly if u want to be a muslim u need to follow the rules of islam. otherwise u r not called one.u can say that islam is in heart need not show in hijab. when imaan is in heart then definitly hijab will be der otherwise u need to check ur imaan not alter the rules of islam.
Principal Mam can wear fully covered headscarf. But students (muslim) can't...
Dear All
this is the height of hypochracy ..... she herself opt for it , and say you dont wear it ???// in Quran its mentioned ..''Do not preach unless you follow it ''
Dear Sister Dr. Jeswina
How can You prevent and take this decision being in a headscarf? Interestingly you preach this and practice proudly and roam around the world wearing such dress code which you and your institutions are opposing other community. May I ask you on behalf of society with all due respect to your valuable service to the education, what kind of justification you are putting forward to media and seeing students attend classes ignoring their constitutional demand. Dear Sister, will you implement and make it mandatory same rules for students who are wearing a similar dress which you are into? If not this approach will be called communalism or fascism (Sorry for using such words).
Dear Principal, Institutions are not at all allowed to restrict a students religious practice at any place inside the campus. In front of the constitution your college rules will fall down and your college rules should be modified. Look at the hypocrisy you are playing with the students. You will enter the class with your scarf on. And you want a particular community student to remove it? What kind of justice it is.No education institutions are even allowed to impose uniform system for students. We condemn your act. Just don't drag this issue more, please behave mature
Catholic run schools and colleges always do like this.
I am not sure whether there is male teacher in this college, if yes, then the women have right to observe hijab inside the classroom as well. No rules is bigger than the personal right guaranteed to individuals living in India. If this principal mam have right to observe her personal hijab inside her cabin, then Muslim women also should be given their rights.
easy solution, let Muslim students accepts the principal madam dress code, in this matter, let it teacher will be role model for students, accept it
dear college management and student,
as soon as i saw people discussing and sharing the views regarding the ban of women scarf in the college auditorium, i too wants to share some views and ideas related to this. as far as college rules and regulation is concern ban of scarf is acceptable. but if we follow the rules and regulation of my lord it is unacceptable.
student should first contact pricipal regarding whatever issues they. and it the liability of the management to solve the issue in favour of the student because whatever issue they are raising it is the issue to uplift the women rather degrading. hoping the maangemnt to solve the issue in favour of student.
In Islam, men have an obligation to God and to women to observe hijab. I imagine a conversation between someone teaching the Quran and a guy as follows:
Teacher: Don’t stare at women.
Guy: But she’s wearing revealing clothing!
Teacher: Why are you staring? Stop.
Guy: But it’s revealing.
Teacher: Why-are-you-staring?
Guy: Uh…
It’s that simple.
If a guy chooses to accept Islam, Islam says he must observe hijab. The Prophet Muhammad’s directives further affirm this view. He admonished men, “Be chaste yourselves, and women will be chaste as well,” again putting the primary burden of hijab on men.
This point was again illustrated when the Prophet rode with his companion Al Fadl bin Abbas. A woman described as strikingly beautiful approached the Prophet to seek his guidance on some religious matters. Al Fadl began to stare at her because of her beauty.
Noting this, the Prophet Muhammad did not scold the woman for dressing immodestly or revealing her beauty. Instead, he “reached his hand backwards, catching Al Fadl’s chin, and turned his face to the other side so that he would not gaze at her”. Thus, the Prophet Muhammad once more established that the primary burden to observe hijab rests on men.
Ughhhhh. Individual choice yes. But college has certain rules. You don't want to follow the rules, you don't join that particular college. Also, Islam is a very beautiful religion. Let's not make it all about the Hijab.
All students (irrespective of religion) should obey collage or school rule.
missionary school management are allowing sisters to wear their dress similar to Principal dress but they are restricted to hijab.
There is no comparison between student and principle..
Rules are only followed by the students.
Prici mam… whatever u are wearing is a perfect Hijab in Islam. Kindly allow Muslim girls also to wear the same in classroom.
Hahahahhah.. what a pic!!!! She can wear headscarf but Muslim students can’t wear!!!
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