:: Letters to Editor

Single madrasa board unlikely

Oct.12 : Sir, Union human resources development minister Kapil Sibal wants to set up a Central Madrasa Board to bring all Islamic religious institutions under Central administration. He met many Muslim ministers from different parties, as well as legal experts and clerics, to discuss the move. Mr Sibal wants to modernise the madarsa system. He is of the view that students with madrasa education would get a certificate equivalent to Central Board of Secondary Education which would be valid for higher educational courses. However, the ulema have protested against this move. In madrasas, there are special teachers known as ulemas and mauollemas to mould, teach and guide students through Islamic teachings. If madrasas are brought under the government, then their policies, syllabus, curriculum, teaching, and text would be according to the Centre. Indirectly, this would be an interference in one’s religion, and this is against our democratic principles.

Liyakat Shah Bhusawal

Via email

Kahani sangh parivar ki

Sir, This is with reference to P.C. Alexander’s article Is it Ides of March for Advani already? (October 7). L.K. Advani, the staunchest loyalist of the Sangh Parivar, obediently played the devoted foot soldier, often vetoing his own astute political sixth sense for the larger cause of the Sangh Parivar. The Babri Masjid episode was a case in point. The one time he bared his personal convictions on Muhammad Ali Jinnah, he was hounded as if his persona is forfeit only to the Sangh Parivar, and has no separate existence. Mr Advani’s continued utility for the Parivar in the post-Vajpayee years was grudgingly accepted until the dismal showing of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha elections last May. This old warrior is now perceived as a liability. Surely, Mr Advani has been poorly repaid for his unquestioned loyalty to the Parivar.

R. Narayanan

Sumeru, Ghaziabad

Taking GANDHI’S name IN VAIN

Sir, Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I felt compelled to come into the political field because I found I could not do even social work without touching politics. I feel that political work must be looked upon in terms of social and moral progress". Summing up his idea of swaraj, the great leader said, "My swaraj is to keep intact the genius of our civilisation. The very essence of our civilisation is that we give paramount place to morality in all our affairs, public or private". How long will our self-proclaimed leaders continue to eulogise Gandhiji’s selfless service and supreme sacrifice from public forums while doing exactly the opposite of what the Mahatma taught in his public as well as private life?

Suhas Patwardhan

Via email

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Notice by EC is an eyewash

Sir, The issue of a notice by the Election Commission to Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on October 7 for violation of the model code of conduct is an eyewash. There is no provision under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to impose any restrictions on the government or any code of conduct on the Union Cabinet after the announcement of any election. The advertisement in question was released by Dirctorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, and not the ministry of agriculture. The Election Commission has no legal basis to take any action. All they can do is file the matter to the President. That is what the procedure is.

Raksh Pal Abrol

Malad (W), Mumbai