File Photo: TMC Leader and Historian Dr Sugata Bose
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) member in Lok Sabha today alleged "meddling and unwarranted interference" by government in the affairs of educational institutions and advocated the need for respect to teachers and students.
TMC's Sugata Bose, a historian, also alleged that "ideologues" instead of scholars were being inducted into the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
Participating in a discussion on Demands for Grants of the HRD Ministry, he said there should be a "great deal of respect for students and teachers".
He referred to discussion and public debate on how some premier scientific and technological institutions are being adversely affected by "meddling and unwarranted interferences in appointments".
Citing recent instances, including the resignation of IIT Delhi Director, Dr Bose said the HRD Ministry should be "respectful" to the country's eminent scientists.
"Government should be an enabler and not interfere in the autonomous functioning of these institutions," he said.
Some bureaucrats, who understand the education system well, are fleeing the ministry and "I would like to know the reasons why this is happening," the Trinamool member said.
Further, Dr Bose said as a historian, he was "dismayed" that at ICHR, "ideologues are packed rather than scholars".
"I would wish that a moment comes that we have genuine historians on the Committee of ICHR, a Council that deserves no funding from the central government, which of course comes out of the taxes paid by the ordinary citizens of this country," he said.
Urging the government to change course, Bose said the government should do away with the attitude of indifference and "introduce great deal of respect for students and teachers".
"Don't perpetuate a situation of disenchantment and disillusionment," he stressed.
Referring to the cut in budgetary allocations, Dr Bose said it seems the "Finance Ministry was punishing HRD Ministry".
HRD Minister Smriti Irani took objection to the remarks saying aspersions should not be cast.
"The member should not give an indication that this government is not at loggerheads within itself as was in the case of the UPA," she noted.
"In a democratic system, we might not fully agree on certain things but we can mutually disagree respectfully," she added.
Contending that he was not being disrespectful, Dr Bose said he was not going back on what he said.
This government is friendly to corporates and hostile to farmers, Dr Bose remarked.
To address faculty shortages at higher education institutions, Bose said the government should look at bringing in foreign professors.
Taking a dig, Dr Bose said the HRD Ministry could well be renamed "Bricks and Mortar Ministry" as it has not set up proper infrastructure.
BJD member Tathagat Satapathy, while contending that the HRD Minister is so passionate about concepts of Hindi and Sanskrit, said, "you should let children choose (the language)... and don't dump any language on them."
He said, "I do not believe that there is any Rashtra Bhasha. Hindi is not my language and neither is it your language."
According to him, the government must invest money in creating infrastructure, buildings, roads and class rooms, and bring out books which have no religious tilt or involvement.
"No religion is greater or inferior to any other religion. It is all the same sham," he noted.
"We are surreptiously killing regional languages" and there is no investment for promoting regional languages, he added.