SAVE NCERT TEXTBOOKS

'What is the use of a book', thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversations?' -Lewis Carroll

It has been more than a week of cartoon saga, and the issue is politicized in wrong direction. From today onwards media has jumped to some other issues. Past week if one can follow the ‘cartoon issue’ in national dailies, we find series of arguments by scholars. What happens when academic matter is converted into a political one? We rejoice on what, Socrates death or Caesar’s?

It is not the first time that there is political vox on textbooks at secondary and higher secondary level. Allegations like saffronization of books during the NDA rule in form of Ramayana and Mahabharata textbooks in language syllabus. Even before that there were some issues, but let us not gaze on timeline or treat past as prelude. The reason being, there was dark in a lion’s den from thousand years, but someone enters, and lit the match and the darkness doesn’t take thousand years to fade away. Similarly, ‘fiat lux’ in school education or revolution were these social science textbooks. But that lux is in flux by virtue of our parliamentarians.

Since the new books of Social Sciences have been introduced they have booked a special place in the heart of teachers and students. With the appearance of cartoons by ‘Shankar’, Kutty, ‘R. K. Lakshman’ Amul and Cagle Cartoons, the Political Science book has scored high in intellectuals. NCERT invented cartoons like Munni and Unni. The questions are intellectually powerful enough to shake the mind and compelling to think out of the box.  

   

Academically by the advent of these books, Social Studies have become Social Sciences. The language used is gender neutral and words are less for congratulating textbook developing committee. Back in January 2007, the Political Science textbook for IX standard was referring the ‘President’ with pronoun ‘She’. That is where it makes an impression in front of feminist. Also these books fail to decide what is democracy and its definition? I think that is real strength of our republic. We don’t bound democracy by defining it or by limiting and restricting. The answer itself is a question that is what, we see is real philosophy.  To quote examples, the list will be so long why they are the ‘best’ textbooks of independent India. All over the world, people are downloading our textbook. The 12^th standard Political Science book titled ‘Contemporary World Politics’ is used to teach IR in Universities like Columbia and Harvard.

   

Many people have said for and against this decision outside the house with their intellect without even reading the book. It is very sad that appropriation and contextualization is nowhere. The message is always contextual whether it is ‘touch me not’ or ‘common man’.

Our Parliamentarian should be proud to have such high goal oriented textbooks instead of criticizing it. Honourable minister should have boasted by showing that cartoon as success of our democracy. As these books are building analytical thinking. The teachers note in textbook clearly states that the cartoons should be taught not enjoyed. Those were put up for understanding democratic polity. By removing this cartoon we are not retrieving respect to icon B. R. Ambedkar. If all these books are removed or thoroughly edited it will be insult to our ‘democracy’ and ‘constitution’.

On the Thorat Committee (yeh kya hai?), it is not a review committee; it is a censoring board on textbooks. Textbook writing is a skilled job. It ought to be done by some elite academicians, no doubt about it. The teacher in the classroom is facilitator whatever had been prescribed. People in and out of NCERT worked day and night for this and results were extraordinary. Today all that effort is in vain? Congratulations are due to Prof. Hari Vasudevan’s team. NCERT was able to justify by these textbooks as a council of educational research and training in toto along with National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which emphasized not on rote learning but through social intercourse of various kinds. These text books were not mere text it had innovative pedagogy of teaching and learning embedded.

As a citizen we need to save these books which teach citizenship and higher ethos of politics. The secondary school books have been inspirational for social scientist and prompted young people to opt for humanities in their higher secondary education for the cause of society. By this move the alumni readers are very unhappy as they give all credit to school books which gave them a broader, self reflexive insight. We need to save this masterpiece and feel short of adjectives for praising this academic research.

Yeh Anna Anna Kya Hai?

Making sequels of cinema? Not a bad idea indeed, but making sequels of political timeline is also a considerable appropriation . yes whole world is speaking of Anna (Hazare not Ivanovic's swim suit), why would we restrain back? Our friend cherished the good old memory when he used to write Anna and auto suggestion tool always showed Ivanovic, but alas! She is nowhere found now. Has the drama finally come to an end?

Long years ago L. M. Singhvi made a tryst with LOKPAL and now the time comes when ANNA has redeemed his pledge not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of parliamentary hour, when the world slept, the house woke up against corruption. a moment came, which was rare to come but the fast went so fast, when Anna stepped out with honey and coconut water, when another Potti Sreeramulu was born(alive), and when the soul of a nation(youth), long suppressed, finds utterances(after Aarakshan). It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause off ANTI CORRUPTION." 

Hope Dr. Manmohan Singh doesn't try the above lines.

Let us start with Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan (JP), who by means of satyagraha invited emergency whereas our Loknayak II (Anna Hazare) invited Lokpal. All the three 'loks' were to save 'lokatantra', JP and Anna! Just as Bachchan's Don and of Khan's. Enjoyed in jail, mobilized masses, bageed few reality shows in reality, to invoke nationalism among countrymen, and to tickle the congress regime, similar age and similar passion, to protect country from Congress. 

Now we have got a different situation hard to believe, all politicians are on indefinite hunger strike because their voters are corrupt. Let us play blame game. Rules are simple; you have to blame everything on opposition even that opposition don't know how to oppose. Describing, anarchy in disguise and chaos by means of democracy (though simpler than Schrӧdinger’s equation). The new revised multicolored edition was published by Anna.

No one died neither ‘Anna’ or ‘Nathaa’(Peepli [Live]), one was saved by ‘अन्न’ and the other by none, cheers both are alive.  

'Mein anna hoon’ can anyone mail us the address of the cap making factory making this quality product and earning profits (don’t know of corruption involved). Also without the great Indian festival Diwali the wax traders and candle producers celebrated Diwali as demand curve shifted towards right (Indira shifted policies towards centre by going left). Bad time for college students they have to attend lectures. Peace restored with some decent economic activity. And a thank you letter from Indian cricket team for taking away all the attention from England. Annoyed from that London streets with bridge had prolonged violence? The bygone English cricket fan were addressing only Hazare as in they prefer Tendulkar as their title. While they enjoyed white wash of men in blue in white. Cartoonist and joke makers had decent opportunities (even us) by having freedom of speech and vicariously using libel and slander.

What next? Corruption rooted out? Bill is passed everyone is ‘Mahatma’? Let us call Marx may be he had some solution (as he is the problem of every solution). Don’t know of others Prof. Hari Vasudevan (Calcutta University) will have to work hard for NCERT to fit Anna Hazare into the curriculum so do Ramchandra Guha. People welcome back to reality i.e. the same office, the same school or same college and the same India (in again hope of life bereft of corruption).

Sushma Swaraj & Poorna Swaraj

On June 5, of this year our respected leader of opposition Mrs. Sushma Swaraj danced at Rajghat while  observing one day Satyagraha. That was just part and parcel of ‘Great Indian Political Tamaasha’. The news booked front pages for a week or so. Then criticism rounds followed by confession rounds were the expectation from within the party or outside the party. Dancing is ‘ecstasy’ by William Wordsworth. So ‘Swaraj’ becomes spiritual. The dance or ecstasy is over; media is looking up for other dancers. Is it that only dancers dance not the politicians? Omar Abdullah specifically tweeted that, his father is a better dancer than Mrs. Sushma Swaraj. Yes, indeed the impact of reality shows is showing up many more, ‘dance netaji dance’. But how does this impact the general public? For them it is only a source of entertainment which is projected by the media. “Dancing is a perpendicular expression to the horizontal desire”. This must have inspired Sushma Swaraj and also many of us. Right to Expression is a fundamental right. Ecstasy is divine and spiritually quoted. It can be expressed in any form and one of which is Dance. Dance lifts the spirit, strengthens body, stimulates mind and entertains self and people. Swaraj means self rule our leader of opposition was ruling herself. And half of her name is ‘Swaraj’ too. What harm has been caused to the public and internal security of the country? Does dancing make someone irresponsible and uncomfortable? Yes, congress was in unrest.

Now let us try to analyze this dancing activity from the perspective of:-

Firstly, ‘aam aadmi’ (indeed a satyagrahi, don’t know of Gandhi’s & Anna’s or a Swaraj fan), this person would have been overjoyed on seeing Mrs. Swaraj in ecstasy. Secondly, the idiot box audiences, who eagerly waited for almost an hour of breaking news to have a glimpse of a video clip with, red circle indicating Swaraj. They were not able to make out the logic of news channels and the dance both. Thirdly the criticizers of the power block were of the view that it somehow didn’t jelled with sanctity of the place (Rajghat). Many co-criticizers objected the act as offending the national pride or more precisely the status and the role of a parliamentarian. Even Nitin Gadkari(from whom words are prized out) opened lips just to confess on behalf of BJP Swaraj.

Now let us go in the past on Poorna Swaraj night (Pre independence era, year 1929 Congress Session at Lahore). Our honourable, radical congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru also was in divine mood on patriotic songs (in the same way as we are on Independence or Republic day). So how dare he dance? Does he didn’t knew that he was marking the occasion of ‘Poorna Swaraj’. This was one of the landmark or milestone in the journey of freedom struggle. So did Mr. Nehru’s action which were much appreciated by our father of the nation and he was happy to see him in ecstasy and advised to be like that wherever he gets an opportunity to express his feelings.

So didn’t Mrs. Swaraj have the same right to express her feelings in the same manner as our first PM expressed? In both the cases the dance was against the government, one at Rajghat and other at Ghat of river Ravi. In the former case the ruling government criticized the action with equal and opposite reaction and the party president confessed. Whereas in latter case, though not criticized by the rulers but was appreciated by inmates.

Mrs. Swaraj needed a shoulder as their own party mates didn’t liked. And in few minutes Swaraj comes in cadre of ‘Sheela and Munni’. So Mrs. Swaraj what is your fault? It is just that you opted for Robert Frosts’ ‘The road not taken’.

Swaraj in half can’t justify, but complete Swaraj can. That is why idea of dominion status was rejected. No one to blame (few blames media), better luck next time Mrs Sushma Swaraj. Hope to see you attain Poorna Swaraj to escape from media controversies and an observational note like this one.