Author: Our Legal Correspondent
Publication: The Hindu
Date: July 31, 2002
By trying to implement the revised
national curriculum framework, the Centre is attempting to `saffronise'
education, which has the effect of impinging on the country's secular character,
argued senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan in the Supreme Court hearing a
petition challenging the new curriculum.
Making his submissions before a
Bench, comprising M. B. Shah, D. M. Dharmadhikari and H. K. Sema, Mr. Vaidyanathan
said the Government had changed the education policy without consulting
the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), which comprised experts
and State Education Ministers. Admitting a public interest petition filed
by social activist Aruna Roy columnist B.G. Verghese and sociologist Meena
Radhakrishna Tyabji challenging the new curriculum, the court had on March
1 stayed its implementation and the case was now listed for final disposal.
Arguing for the petitioners, he
said the CABE was not consulted, though the National Policy on Education
had specifically stated that the CABE ought to be consulted.
Mr. Vaidyanathan said certain portions
of textbooks had been deliberately deleted on grounds of religion. Such
distortions in the textbooks would amount to religious propaganda, which
would result in stultifying growth, development and spirit of critical
inquiry of children at the primary age. The new curriculum was driven by
a "Brahminical approach'' and as there were repeated references to the
Vedas and the Upanishads, the Bench took strong exception to these and
told the counsel "do not abuse any caste, do not abuse the word Brahmin
as it has a wider meaning,'' he said. Counsel said he was not abusing any
caste or castigating anybody but was only trying to emphasise that the
repeated reference to the Upanishads gave this impression. The Bench was
quick to respond by saying, "How can India live without the Vedas and the
Upanishads which are the essence of the spiritual heritage of the country.
If you look at it with a coloured approach, it is coloured''.
