3 days ago
Tushar Gandhi warns of ideological takeover of universities
Noted social activist Tushar Gandhi has launched a scathing attack on the growing interference by the Governors in universities, accusing them of acting as 'hitmen' for the Union government.
Mr. Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was speaking while inaugurating a national seminar on the 'Challenges faced by Universities' organised by the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) here on Saturday.
Governors, he further alleged, were no longer guardians of the Constitution, but instruments of ideological control who were being sent to Opposition-ruled States to sabotage governance and disrupt academic autonomy.
He expressed concern over the Governors 'functioning as Super Vice-Chancellors as their role has shifted from ceremonial to authoritarian.'
'RSS's objective'
'The objective of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is to take over as many educational institutions as possible. They are using the Governors to meddle in the affairs of universities to achieve their objective,' he said.
He called for reasserting the democratic duties of Indian citizens and to resist growing authoritarianism. While invoking the public resistance that led to the end of the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s, he lamented the prevailing sense of helplessness among the public.
The activist also raised caution against the National Education Policy 2020 which, he feared, would create enslaved minds instead of enlightening them. He was also critical of the 'enslaved' teaching community who failed to even flag factual errors in school books for fear of repercussions such as suspension or stalled promotions.
Decentralised model of learning
Advocating a decentralised model of learning, Mr. Gandhi decried steps to homogenise education and instead, usher in a system that is 'more independent, regionally-oriented and region specific.'
'A good education model for the north might not be a good education model for the south, and likewise for the other parts of the country,' he said.
He also delved into the issue of 'systematic brainwashing' of Indian society, where the predominant majority feels insecure in their own country. This has given rise to a vindictive attitude towards the minorities, said Mr. Gandhi as he cited the recent example of the arrest of two Keralite Christian nuns in Chhattisgarh on accusations of human trafficking and forced conversion.
KSSP president T.K. Meerabai presided over the programme. General secretary P.V. Divakaran and district secretary Shimji G. also spoke.
