Professional Documents
Culture Documents
10 EDITORIAL DELHI
When every line in the book is violated
The core values of education are injured by the violence that breaks out among citizens during a riot
tioning is hardly an adequate why a part of Delhi burst into plain to them why there is such a
measure of the state’s expectation fl ames. Any explanation would ne sharp contradiction between real
Way to go from their role. As an institution of
the state, a school — whether priv
cessarily involve telling children
why the Citizenship (Amendment)
collective life and what is con
veyed to them. Many children
The Centre must do more to restore normalcy ately run or managed directly by Act, 2019 has proved controver know from watching television
the government — enables the sial. A teacher attempting to dis that Delhi’s present political ethos
in J&K, and return it to full statehood young to imbibe the moral princi cuss this subject is likely to get into is full of bitterness and anger. Slo
Krishna Kumar
A
seven months in detention is a welcome step that fter a violent riot, teachers permits the state to exercise pow nataka, recently faced police ac In such an ethos, the offi cial mes
could open fresh political possibilities in the troubled of young children have a dif er over the lives of citizens. When tion for staging a play on the citi sage conveyed through postriot
fi cult time deciding what to a riot breaks out, schools are zenship law. In the charged parentteacher meetings that all is
region. The conditions of his release, if any, are not pu
say in their classes when children closed, mainly to protect children atmosphere that preceded the well now cannot reduce cynicism.
blic but it is clear that there were backchannels open ask awkward questions. Some of from aggression and violence. their primary classes. Why didn’t riots and still prevails, no critical The personal trauma suff ered by
between him and the Centre before the release. Taken these questions arise from the During the Delhi riots, a private the police stop the riot, children thinking is likely to be tolerated. hundreds and the bewilderment
together with other recent relaxations in J&K that was news that children have heard or school was set on fi re and its pro want to know. Although the offi cial curriculum of others who have witnessed the
put under a lockdown last August as the Centre unilat from the scenes they have seen on perty looted. Imagine the horror now proudly claims to promote collapse of social order and police
erally ended its special constitutional status, his release television. In some cases, they ask this school would have faced if Then and now critical thinking and foundational responsibility cannot be healed by
could help reopen the public space in the Valley. Coin about what they have seen with children were inside it. When a No wonder that teachers feel like learning, these terms provide little words and promises alone. Educa
ciding with his release, Prime Minister Modi assured a their own eyes. There are also riot has swept past, schools reo Sisyphus when teaching resumes scope for responding to what is tion must deal with the deeper an
questions refl ecting the children’s pen and the resumption of their after a riot. Sisyphus was a king happening in one’s own neigh xieties of the young in order to re
delegation of the newly formed Apni Party led by form
desire to verify something their routine is usually perceived as the depicted in Greek mythology. He bourhood or the country. Like eve tain its own sanctity and
er People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Altaf Bukha parents have told them. It is not return of normalcy. was condemned to a life of hard la rything else in education, these credibility. The hatred that found
ri that he would work towards the restoration of state diffi cult to imagine the bewilder bour which involved routinely des wonderful sounding terms are open expression for some days in
hood for J&K, which was downgraded to a Union ing array of queries that the recent The real loss troying its own accomplishment. now used for promoting hollow northeast Delhi has put a ques
Territory as part of last year’s restructuring. Mr. Modi communal riots in the nation’s This perception is erroneous be Sisyphus was supposed to push a formal routines. tion mark on the capacity of the
also said no demographic changes would be forced in capital have triggered in the minds cause it does not take into account huge rock uphill, and when he The Delhi riots coincided with system of education to nurture the
J&K. Earlier, mobile telephony was restored fully and of young people. How a teacher the school’s real loss in terms of its reached the top, the rock rolled an offi cial visit of the American core values a democratic order
can address them is anyone’s own authority to serve and perpet back down, forcing him to start all President, Donald Trump, to In demands.
mobile Internet partially. However, restrictions on as
guess. Although cities such as uate the state’s morality. Every over again. This image captures dia, beginning February 24. His Violent riots knock down the
sembly remain largely in place, and hundreds, includ Mumbai and Delhi and many pro core value of education is injured the frustration a teacher must face wife, Melania Trump, was sche sanctity of public education and
ing two former Chief Ministers, Omar Abdullah and vincial towns of northern India by the violence that breaks out after people are killed or wounded duled to witness how a govern people’s faith in it as a resource for
Mehbooba Mufti, still remain in detention. Their stag have considerable experience of among citizens during a riot. It in a riot. In early November of ment school transacts a socalled maintaining basic human values.
gered release could be the next step towards normalcy. living through violent riots, little takes years to explain to the young 1984, riots broke out following In ‘happiness’ curriculum. It was ter In a postconfl ict phase, offi cers
Mr. Modi’s moves have often been characterised by eff ort has been made to study the that relations among people and dira Gandhi’s assassination. ribly ironical that she was attend and teachers must decide what
surprise and subterfuge, including on J&K. There could response of children to such oc communities are guided by cer Schools remained closed for many ing a ‘happiness’ class in south they will tell the young and how.
currences and the dilemma that tain values. Even a specifi c topic days. When they reopened, the go Delhi while violence and fi re raged To follow the modern idiom and
be justifi cation for such secrecy in statecraft, but new
teachers face when classes resume such as respect for someone else’s vernment sent a specifi c instruc in the northeastern part of the ci simply ‘move on’ (i.e. put the riots
beginnings in the Valley will require more openness as after a riot. property and publicly owned in tion to schools, forbidding any dis ty. We can imagine the meaning of behind) is to invite the usual price
there is a considerable trust defi cit between its people A violent riot is normally seen frastructure takes a long time to cussion of the riots. Teachers the happiness that curriculum de that unresolved trauma incurs. Its
and New Delhi. The Centre should not try to orches as a breakdown of law and order. teach in a manner that it would faced a dilemma. They knew how signers hope to impart through eff ects go deeper. The temporary
trate politics but engage with it as it organically evolves. That it indeed is, implying a wea make sense to children. All this ef deeply many children had been this innovation. In their design, social breakdown that riots signify
Hard as it is, the Centre must try and undo the damage kening of the state’s moral author fort is wasted when children see scarred. Not just Sikh children happiness is another form of cyni requires a longterm strategy to
it did to mainstream parties such as the National Confe ity and people’s trust in it. Within with their own eyes that people who had seen the brute killing of cism, marking the capacity to stay restore teachers’ morale and peo
a few days, the state reestablishes are killing others and burning their own elders, but others too aloof and unaff ected by the fate of ple’s trust in schools. Simply ig
rence and the PDP. It must allow all opinions to be artic
its authority and state functionar shops, houses and buses. In the who had witnessed horror or fellow human beings. noring the damage done to the
ulated. Coercive measures must be limited to combat ies, such as the police and other of case of Delhi, the damage done to heard about it. They all needed sanity of young minds is tanta
ing violence. It must shun the baseless notion that fi cers, start to assume that the children’s learning was greater as ways to express their disturbed Sanctity of education mount to letting democracy suff er
communities will surrender political autonomy in re damage done to their credibility it included the incredible realisa minds and seek some solace from Textbooks, teachers and princi the loss of intellectual vitality that
turn for material prosperity. Above all, it must end its has been restored. In the context tion that the police did nothing teachers. pals routinely tell children that In education alone can provide.
perilous propensity to paint the demands for autonomy of education, however, the impact and merely watched when the kill Now, 36 years later, the city is dia’s religious diversity is a matter
and separatism with the same brush. J&K’s instrumen of a riot goes much deeper. Alth ing and looting started. The magi back at the same juncture. Teach of pride. What, then, accounts for Krishna Kumar is a former Director of the
ough schools are the main provid cal signifi cance of the phone num ers feel bewildered as they face the so much hatred, children must National Council of Educational Research
tal status as a place for demonstrating the strength of
er of education, their routine func ber 100 is conveyed to children in task of explaining to the young wonder. Someone will have to ex and Training (NCERT)
the Indian nation in the current government’s imagina
tion is not helpful. There is also an evolving internation
al situation that could complicate the situation. With
the longexpected U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan
now imminent, Islamist forces in South Asia are feeling
Kanshiram’s legacy of Dalit empowerment left adrift
triumphant and are using the current communal tur In the absence of any credible sourcing of talent within the BSP, other regional units could step in and fi ll the vacuum
moil in India to paint it as a Hindu theocracy. The Pakis fi red for raising the issue. He chose wards the community. Thus, the also needed to direct people’s
tani military establishment will exploit the situation to to fi ght it in court. Looking at Di widely popular initiative ‘Pay Back thoughts into producing material.
FILE PHOTO/S. SUBRAMANIUM
India’s disadvantage. India’s approach towards J&K nabhana’s unrelenting struggle, to Society’ was inaugurated in His deft editorial skills also
must be peoplecentric and guided by a resolute com Kanshiram turned towards acti 1973. As a part of BAMCEF there found expression. The popular
mitment to its diversity and religious pluralism. vism to seek social justice and pol were simultaneous initiatives such The Oppressed Indian and the Ba-
itical freedoms. as the BAMCEF Datta Grahan, hujan Sanghatak were his organi
Suraj Yengde Much of Kanshiram’s memories Bhaichara, Sahkarita. In 1981, the sation’s mouthpieces. There were
Needless appeal are lived through anecdotes and
his speeches. A.R. Akela, a fore
Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh
Samiti (DS4) with 10 wings (stu
others that dealt with land reform,
nationalisation of industries and a
I
HC rap for violating citizens’ privacy through n republican India’s history, most scholar of the Bahujan move dents, women, etc.) was esta labour welfare regime such as Aar-
there is no politician who can ment, has compiled a series and Dalits are now aiming to give life to blished to experiment with socio thik Utthan (1980) and Economic
banners has had no eff ect on Yogi’s regime match Kanshiram’s life story. published them in Hindi. Ambedkar’s vision — of becoming political possibilities. Eventually Monthly (1981) in addition to the
I
t is regrettable that the Uttar Pradesh government No one else could have carved a a part of the ruling class of the the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was impressive Bahujan Times (1984).
has appealed against the Allahabad High Court or niche for the Scheduled Castes, Political disrupter country. Through Kanshiram they formally established in 1984. Kan Kanshiram can be said to be the
der directing the removal of hoardings in Lucknow Scheduled Tribes, Other Back It must be noted that Kanshiram see a feasible, methodical ap shiram declared that he wanted leader who introduced Periyar to
ward Classes and the Minorities as did not leave extensive written re proach to getting that throne. the community to become givers villages in north, central, eastern
that displayed details of those who participated in the
much as he did. He came on the cords or archives barring the clas Almost every student organisa rather than receivers. For that to and western India. Like Periyar,
protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Indian political scene without a re sic, The Chamcha Age (An Era of tion, social and political outfi t sub happen it required training and there were many unsung heroes
Further, it has approved an ordinance that provides for sumé popping with credentials of the Stooge). Dedicated to Mahat scribes to the legacy of Ambedkar. preparation. Cadre camps and va who were given space on the can
recovery of compensation from those suspected of in legacy, inheritance, wealth, title, ma Jyotirao Phule, The Chamcha The Bhim Army Ekta Mission, for rious events fi lled the gap. vas of the BSP. They include Nan
volvement in rioting for any damage to property. In a surname or party. Irrespective of Age was later to be the founding instance, wants to be seen as a Instead of downplaying the im danar, Iyothee Thass, Nangeli, Bir
quick and wellreasoned response, the court curbed all these barriers, he sculpted a so ground of a party that would be a part of Kanshiram’s Ambedkarite portance of caste, Kanshiram opt sa Munda, Savitribai Phule and
the administration’s gross misuse of power. Even lid, unremitting, electrifying Ba disrupter in India’s casteist politi legacy. The Bhim Army’s status is ed to strengthen oppressed caste Jhalkaribai.
though the Supreme Court’s vacation judges were scep hujan movement in India. cal spectrum — the Bahujan Samaj complicated on a national scale. associations which was one way to
He hailed from an agriculturist Party. Kanshiram started by want Though its fl amboyant leader, weaken the structures that sustain Growing void
tical about the legal basis of the government’s action,
Chamar family, but being a Sikh ing to do nothing with the toke Chandrashekhar Azad, has an ap caste. Every ‘upper’ caste had an In hindsight, we are yet to fi nd si
they referred it to a larger Bench, observing that crucial had no impact on caste exclusions nised, genufl ecting leadership of peal across caste, religion and re investment in caste, which is why milar investments by his protégés.
questions of law were involved. It is diffi cult to see what of Dalits in the region. Kanshiram, Dalit leaders that the Poona Pact gional lines, the organisation’s so it transferred this into structures There are certainly no intellectual
arcane legal question has arisen, considering that the born on March 15, 1934, was aware between Gandhi and Dr. Ambed cial base has still to be fi rmed up. that catered to its needs. Kanshi research wings, as was the case
High Court’s order was on the grounds that the erection of this, yet not to the extent of kar had produced. Such a leader Its apolitical work such as pre ram invested in the cultures of earlier, which can provide gui
of the hoardings lacked statutory backing and that it grasping the nuances of such dis ship was willing to be the secon school training, having an atrocity caste and cultural methods of anti dance to the movement. There is
was a gross violation of citizens’ privacy. The Lucknow crimination. He had naively dary elements of the dominant grievance cell and cultural acti casteism. He understood well that no media that can converse with
thought of Brahmins as being a Congress party. vism needs to be expanded. There artists and in turn their art were the public on a daily basis on Dalit
administration had displayed the photographs, names
poor and backward community Following simmering resent needs to be a multiorganisational organic intellectuals who were a issues; neither is there any trust
and addresses of those who, it claimed, owed compen due to their low status in Jaatdo ment against the political attitude strategy. part of the grassroots. He sought building mechanism.
sation for the alleged destruction of public property minant Punjab. towards Dalits, Kanshiram gath There are several Bahujan or them out and trained them. It is no Finally, moving to the present
during the protests. There has been no judicial fi nding In his later life, there was one ered middle class government em ganisations that work towards Dr. accident that the ‘Ambedkar Mela state of the BSP, it appears that the
that those named were involved in such violence; and incident in his diverse working ployees who were seeking leader Ambedkar’s dream of a noncaste on Wheels’ was among the many party leadership lacks a commit
there is no law that authorises such public “naming and stints that had an impact on him. ship that had a spine and India. But the origins of this can be fi rst Dalit History Month projects ted young cadre that can be
shaming”. It was quite apparent that the government In 1957, he settled for a job as a re selfpride. He recruited disgrun traced back to the BAMCEF, or the that featured Ambedkar’s photo trained to take over the reins of the
search assistant in the Ministry of tled intellectuals and government All India Backward (SC, ST, and graphs, books, pamphlets and leadership. Kanshiram’s legacy re
was humiliating the protesters and exposing them to
Defence’s Explosives Research employees to give wheels to the OBC) and Minority Communities posters. mains alive and kicking in the
danger from the CAA’s supporters and the government. and Development Laboratory (al caravan of the Bahujan move Employees Federation. Kanshiram understood that words of the BSP’s chief Mayawati.
Once the High Court Bench, headed by Chief Justice so called the High Energy Mate ment. Along with his colleagues, Kan emotional appeal was a far more But in the absence of any credible
Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha, took suo mo- rials Research Laboratory), in In current times, Kanshiram’s shiram began one of the largest powerful way to use radical anger sourcing of talent, organisations
tu cognisance of the development, the government Pune. A colleague, a class IV em struggle continues to be more unions of government employees. that would help tackle the oppres such as the Bhim Army and many
could not justify its action on any legal ground. All it ployee, Dinabhana from Rajas popular and his ideas acceptable Through BAMCEF, he connected sor. Thus, the artwork and paint BAMCEFBSP inspired regional
could do was come up with weak objections to the than’s Bhangi caste, had taken it to second and third generation Da SC, ST, OBCs, and other minorities ings depicting atrocities on the parties could step in and fi ll the va
upon himself to protest the admi lits who are unwilling to settle for to fi ght back against atrocities and communities played a pivotal role cuum.
court acting on its own motion, arguing that those fea
nistration’s cancellation of holi anything less than what they de discrimination. With a structure in in his outreach initiatives. He had
tured in the banners had the capacity to seek legal re days for Ambedkar and Buddha serve. Educated and with a confi place, he was able to help create a grasped early on that while emo Suraj Yengde, the author of Caste Matters,
dress themselves, and also questioning whether the Jayanti. As a consequence, he was dent outlook, the young breed of strong sense of accountability to tions are essential, a strategy was is a fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School
principal seat in Allahabad could take cognisance of de
velopments in Lucknow, which has its own Bench. At a
time when the higher judiciary is seen to be passive be LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
fore a powerful executive, the court’s resolve to act on To read more letters
its own against a case of obvious injustice and violation Reviving SAARC SAARC needs to integrate health crisis should be used blessing for humanity. epidemics as its internal online, scan the QR code
of fundamental rights is quite commendable. Its ap The South Asian the region better. to get things back on track. The irony is that the fi rst matter. The source nation
proach was rooted in the revivifi ed privacy rights juris Association for Regional Riya Dadhich, V. Hariharan, reaction to the pandemic has has a moral obligation, if not been exposed on more than
Cooperation has been in a Raipur, Chhattisgarh Chennai not been a collaboration a legal necessity to disclose one occasion. Even after the
prudence established by a nineJudge apex court Bench
frozen state mainly on among nations but a frenzied facts about the outbreak to devastating fl oods in 2015,
in K.S. Puttaswamy. Applying the tests laid down in that account of tensions ■ While it is heartening that The world is fragile shutting down of borders to the World Health the CMDA has not made
verdict, the top court ruled that there was no necessity between India and the Prime Minister has taken A deadly pathogen, currently protect citizens of one’s own Organization, expeditiously amends. It must follow the
for a democratic government to disclose anyone’s iden Pakistan. Regional the lead in initiating a virtual marching across national country. COVID19 off ers two (Page 1, “Virus cases rise, models used in Ahmedabad
tity and particulars without a legitimate purpose. And integration is a must for its conference, equally borders and leaving behind a immediate lessons. One, the more airlifts planned”, and New Delhi. Without
that choosing a small group among hundreds arrested revival (Page 1, “SAARC encouraging is the response trail of death and panic, has anthropocentric vision’s March 15). engaging the services of
in connection with the violence during the protests for virtual meet on COVID19 he has received from exposed the brittle wanton disregard for V.N. Mukundarajan, professional planners, the
today”, March 15). Using the member nations. There has foundation on which modern biodiversity’s known and Thiruvananthapuram mere announcement of
the public display was a “colourable exercise” of power.
coronavirus outbreak as a to be a sharing of actions civilisation has erected its unknown complexities, projects will not deliver any
That the State government went on appeal shows that catalyst, India can once being taken to contain the edifi ce of progress. The especially the tampering Smart Chennai result (Chennai, “The tough
the judicial order hardly had any chastening eff ect on again push for regional pandemic. SAARC, as a epidemiological Black Swan with wildlife habitats, has The gaps in urban planning business of building a city”,
the regime that has been displaying unusual stridency cooperation that can lead regional body, has not been has exposed the dark belly of hidden costs. Two, no nation and ineff ective enforcement March 15).
in its crackdown on the antiCAA protests. to better diplomatic functioning very eff ectively globalisation which was however powerful it may be, of Smart City planning on the M. Stanly Chellappa,
relations. As a platform, for quite some time, but the hailed as an unmixed has no right to treat part of Chennai’s CMDA have Chennai
CM M ND-NDE
YK