Author: Hartosh Singh Bal
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: January 18, 2004
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=39391
Introduction: Following the BJP
victory in MP, the Sangh-affiliated Vanbandhu Parishad will open 500 more
schools in tribal areas
It is rare for a politician to give
even partial credit to an educational institution for an electoral victory,
especially an institution that chooses to deny any political or social
affiliation. But when HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi was asked about
the BJP victory in the recent Assembly elections, he said, ''An important
factor, which few people have taken into account, is the work done by the
Vanvasi Kalyan Manch and the Friends of Tribals Society in the Adivasi
areas. Work had been going on but it's matured now.''
So it comes as no surprise that
close on the heels of the BJP victory, having picked Hema Malini as its
brand ambassador, the Friends of Tribal Society or the Vanbandhu Parishad
has just opened its Bhopal chapter. With over 1,500 Ekal Vidyalyas already
operating in the tribal areas of MP, the organisation plans to add another
500 over the next year.
Strangely enough the president of
the organisation Rameshwar Kabra and former president P.D. Chitlangia began
their press conference in Bhopal by denying any links with the Sangh Parivar.
Apart from Joshi's endorsement, it was a strange position to take when
the RSS' Vishwa Samvad Kendra had sent out an invite for the function,
clearly stating that the Vanbandhu Parishad was an organisation affiliated
with the Sewa Bharti wing of the RSS.
The FTS began its work in 1989 but
was restricted to Jharkand till 1998. It is only since then that it has
spread to Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Maharashtra and Karnataka. Just in Madhya Pradesh alone, the FTS has as
of today a 1020 Ekal Vidyalyas operating in the predominantly Bhil areas
of Madhya Bharat and another 720 in the predominantly Gond areas of Mahakaushal.
The idea behind the Ekal Vidyalya
(EV) is simple. In the FTS' own words, ''One person from a tribal village
is selected and trained as a teacher (Acharya). He/ She devotes 3 hours
for teaching 35/40 students in the village as per syllabus, age group 5
to 12 years, each day, 365 days a year.'' The funding for the EV is raised
by the FTS through donations, and costs are kept low. Each EV costs just
Rs 10,000 a year to run. The school is monitored by a local village committee
which itself selects the Acharya who is then trained by the FTS. The curriculum
is basic, literacy in the language of the state and more controversially,
modelled somewhat on moral science classes of missionary schools, the teaching
of ''acchhe sanskar(good manners/conduct/belief)'' to the children.
The sanskars clearly derive from
the Hindu tradition even in areas which stand outside this tradition. This
is being done even in areas where the tribals themselves claim an identity
divorced from Hinduism, such as the Gonds of MP. The thrust is not obtrusive
but some examples from the FTS own manual for teachers are illustrative.
Among the material required to be
provided to every student are ''Maan Saraswati/Bharat mata ka chitra. Mahapurushon
aur devi devtaon ke chitra. Om chitra.'' The days on which special functions
are organised include Ramnaumi and Janamashtmi, festivals unknown in the
Gond areas. The same thread runs through the teaching of other subjects.
Take for example an exercise prescribed for the teaching of multiplication
tables termed 'Shriram', ''Start counting from 1. Recite every multiple
of 3 along with the word Shriram. With enough practice drop the number
itself and just say Shriram. The same thing can be done with the other
multiplication tables.''
Perhaps it was this that has led
Joshi to ascribe a role to the FTS in the BJP's electoral victory. But
perhaps more crucial is the coordination of the activities of this society
with the work being done by other Sangh affiliates in the tribal areas.
This again, despite disavowals, is clearly spelt out in the literature
provided by the FTS itself, ''The growth of this programme has become possible
through the hard work of workers from several social and religious organisations
such as Sewa Bharti, Vishwa Hindu Praishad, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Vidya
Bharti, Vivekananda Kendra, Gayatri Parivar, Swadhyay Parivar, Swami Narayan
Sampraday, Chinamaya Mission, Ramakrishna Mission etc.''
Thus, it's no surprise that the
Ekal Vidyalya programme has the blessings, again quoting from the FTS'
won literature, of among others Sadhvi Rithambra and Acharya Dharamendra.
