Monday, July 23, 2012

Resisting Caste Violence - NTUI on Maruti-Suzuki

Statement issued by NEW TRADE UNION INITIATIVE on the incidents at Maruti-Suzuki’s Manesar Plant


Dated 19 July, 2012, New Delhi
The present spate of violence at the Manesar plant of Maruti Suzuki as a fallout of a protest by workers against a casteist comment made by a supervisor at a dalit worker reflects the continuing use of ‘caste’ as a method of subordination and oppression reflecting the persistence of deeply rooted primordial structures of society that complement capitalist exploitation. When co-workers protested, the management suspended the abused worker and refused to re-instate him and instead resorted to brutal violence, orchestrated by goons, against the workers and targeting the union leaders.
It is important to note that the Maruti Suzuki management is yet to constitute the Grievance Redressal Committee and the Welfare Committee at its Manesar plant which was agreed upon after the last dispute in October 2011. The present dispute is a well planned instigation by the management to systematically derail the ongoing negotiations on the Charter of Demands submitted by the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union in April 2012 and to discredit the sustained and united struggle of the workers at the Manesar plant.The New Trade Union Initiative condemns the use of wanton violence by the Maruti Suzuki management to suppress workers’ protests in defence of their human and democratic rights and disrupt the union. The NTUI also condemns the manner in which the Government of Haryana and the Gurgaon police have consorted with the Maruti Suzuki management by arresting over 100 workers including union leaders and key activists without conducting due investigation and pre-supposing that the workers are solely responsible for the violence. This position of continued support to the Maruti Suzuki of the Government of Haryana demonstrates the lack of political will to protect workers in the state despite its own Labour Department initiating proceedings against Maruti Suzuki for violating the provisions of signed agreement of October 19, 2011 at its Manesar plant.
NTUI demands that the management of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. –
Immediately lift the illegal lockout at the Manesar Plant
Immediately and unconditionally reinstate the suspended worker
Withdraw all false criminal charges filed against workers with the Haryana Police
Respect the Right to Association and negotiate in good faith with the democratically elected Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union.

NTUI demands that the Government of Haryana
Immediately Stop the arbitrary and motivated arrests of workers and union leaders by the Gurgaon police without following due investigation and release all workers arrested so far.
Immediately declare the lockout at the Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s Manesar Plant to be illegal
Initiate Prosecution proceedings against management of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. for gross violation of the agreement of 19 October 2011.
Ensure that companies operating in the State of Haryana respect the laws of the land including laws that protect the rights of workers.

Gautam Mody
Secretary, New Trade Union Initiative NTUI





Sunday, July 22, 2012

மணற்கேணி மூன்றாம் ஆண்டின் முதல் இதழ்

 


வணக்கம்
மணற்கேணி மூன்றாம் ஆண்டின் முதல் இதழ் தமிழ்ச் செவ்வியல் ஆய்வுகள் குறித்த சிறப்பிதழாக வெளியாகிறது.
சிறப்புப் பகுதியில் கி.நாச்சிமுத்து,கோ.விசயவேணுகோபால், செ.வை.சண்முகம், வா.செ.குழந்தைசாமி,இரா.கோதண்டராமன், வீ.அரசு,பெ.மாதையன்,இந்திரா பார்த்தசாரதி , செ.ரவீந்திரன் உள்ளிட்ட பதினேழு பேர் அது குறித்து எழுதிய கட்டுரைகள் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளன.
ஷார்ல் போதலேரின் கவிதைகள்
பாகிஸ்தான் எழுத்தாளர் சபின் சாவேரி ஜிலானி , தேன்மொழி, ரவிக்குமார், ஆகியோரின் சிறுகதைகள்
பூலாங்குறிச்சி கல்வெட்டுகள் குறித்து விசயவேணுகோபால், எடக்கல் , சமணர் மலை கல்வெட்டுகள் குறித்து ராசவேலு கட்டுரைகள்
சங்க காலத்தில் கல்வி குறித்த க.ப.அறவாணனின் கட்டுரை
இ.அண்ணாமலை அவர்களின் நேர்காணல்

புகழ்பெற்ற பெண்ணியக் கோட்பாட்டாளர் லூஸி இரிகாரே வின் ' நமது உதடுகள் ஒன்றாகப் பேசும்போது ' என்ற கட்டுரை
ஈழம் தொடர்பான இரண்டு நூல்கள் குறித்து எம்.எஸ்.எஸ் .பாண்டியன் , துவாரகன் ஆகியோரின் கட்டுரைகள்
120 பக்கங்கள் விலை 60 ரூபாய் .

பிரதி வேண்டுவோர் manarkeni@gmail.com என்ற மின்னஞ்சல் முகவரிக்கு எழுதுங்கள்.

Friday, July 20, 2012

'தமிழும் சமஸ்கிருதமும் ' ஆய்வரங்கு




இந்தியாவில் செம்மொழிகள் என்னும் தகுதியைப் பெற்றிருக்கும் தமிழும் சமஸ்கிருதமும் நீண்ட காலமாக ஒன்றிலிருந்து மற்றது கொண்டும் கொடுத்தும் வளர்ந்து வந்துள்ளன. தமிழைத் தாழ்த்தி சமஸ்கிருதத்தை உயர்த்தும் அரசியல் காரணமாகவே  இரு மொழிகளும் இன்று எதிரெதிராக நிறுத்தப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. சமஸ்கிருதம் தமிழை அழித்துவிடும் என்று சொல்வது இன்றைய சூழலில் மிகைப்படுத்தப்பட்ட ஒரு கூற்றாகவே இருக்கும். சமஸ்கிருதத்தைப் பிராமணர்களோடு இணையாக வைத்துப் பார்ப்பதும்கூட வரலாற்றுக்கு மாறான ஒன்றுதான். “ பிராமணர்களின் உயர்வைப் பேசுகிற பிரதிகள் அதில் உண்டு, அதைப்போலவே பிராமணியத்தைக் கேலி செய்யும் பிரதிகளும் அதில் ஏராளமாக இருக்கின்றன” என்கிறார் ஜார்ஜ் ஹார்ட். பிராமணரல்லாதார் பலர் சமஸ்கிருதத்தில் தமது படைப்புகளை இயற்றியுள்ளனர். ” அதுவொரு தொடர்பு மொழியாக இருந்திருக்கிறது. இந்துக்கள் மட்டுமின்றி பௌத்தர்களும் அதைப் பயன்படுத்தியிருக்கிறார்கள். சமஸ்கிருதம் தெரியாமல் பௌத்தைத்தை முழுமையாக ஆய்வுசெய்துவிட முடியாது” என்று ஜார்ஜ் ஹார்ட் கூறுவது கவனத்துக்குரியதாகும். 

சமஸ்கிருதத்துக்கும் தமிழுக்குமான உறவைப் போலவே அவற்றுக்கிடையிலான மோதலும் நீண்ட காலமாகவே இங்கு நடந்துவந்திருக்கிறது. என்றபோதிலும், தமிழுக்குச் செம்மொழி அங்கீகாரம் பெறுவதற்கான முயற்சியின்போது அந்த முரண்பாடு தீவிரம் அடைந்தது. ‘கிரந்த யூனிகோடு’ பிரச்சனையின்போது அது மேலும் கூர்மையடைந்துவிட்டது.

இந்திய மொழிகள் பலவற்றிலும் சமஸ்கிருதத்தின் தாக்கம் இருப்பதை மொழியியலாளர்கள் கண்டறிந்து கூறியிருக்கிறார்கள். தமிழும் அதற்கு விதிவிலக்கல்ல. ஆனால், தொன்மையான வரலாறும், தனக்கென்று ஒரு எழுத்து மரபும் கொண்ட தமிழ் மொழியானது சமஸ்கிருதத்துக்கு அப்பால் தனது தனித்துவத்தைக் காப்பாற்றிக்கொண்டு வருகிறது. ” சமஸ்கிருதம், ஆங்கிலம் ஆகியவற்றால் தமிழ் அச்சுறுத்தப்படுகிறது என நான் நினைக்கவில்லை. தொடக்க காலத்திலிருந்து இன்றுவரை அதன் தனித்துவம் பேணி வளர்க்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. எதிர்காலத்திலும் அப்படி அது பாதுகாக்கப்படும். தமிழர்கள் தமது மொழியை மதிக்கிறார்கள், நேசிக்கிறார்கள்.அவர்கள் தொடர்ந்தும் அதைச் செய்வார்கள். இன்று இந்தியாவில் மிகச் சில அறிஞர்கள்தான் சமஸ்கிருதத்தில் ஆய்வுகளைச் செய்து வருகிறார்கள். இந்திக்கும் , மலையாளத்துக்கும் சமஸ்கிருதம் ஏராளமான சொற்களை வழங்கியிருக்கிறது என்றாலும் அது இப்போது புறக்கணிக்கப்பட்டு செத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அதன் விளைவாக தெற்கு மற்றும் தென்கிழக்கு ஆசியாவின் பண்பாட்டு வரலாறு தொடர்பான பல ஆவணங்களை வாசிக்க முடியாத நிலை ஏற்பட்டிருக்கிறது” என்று கூறுகிறார் ஜார்ஜ் ஹார்ட். 

சமஸ்கிருதத்தின் இந்த அவலநிலை குறித்து ஷெல்டன் பொல்லாக் விரிவாகவே ஆராய்ந்திருக்கிறார். ’ சமஸ்கிருதத்தின் மரணம்’ என்ற தனது கட்டுரையில் அதற்கான காரணங்களை அவர் முன்வைத்திருக்கிறார். லத்தீன் மொழிக்கு கி.பி.ஒன்பதாம் நூற்றாண்டு முதல் நேர்ந்ததுபோல சமஸ்கிருதமானது தொடர்பு மொழியாக இருப்பதில் எந்த சிக்கலையும் எதிர்கொள்ளவில்லை.அதுபோலவே இங்கு பிராந்திய மொழிகள் பெற்ற முக்கியத்துவமும் சமஸ்கிருதத்துக்குத் தடையாக அமையவில்லை. பிராந்திய மொழிகளில் தேர்ச்சி பெற்றவர்களாயிருந்த பலர் சமஸ்கிருதத்திலும் புலமைபெற்று விளங்கினார்கள் என்று குறிப்பிடும் பொல்லாக், ஆட்சியதிகாரத்தை முஸ்லிம்கள் கைப்பற்றியதும்கூட  சமஸ்கிருதத்தை பலவீனப்படுத்திவிடவில்லை. மாறாக, முஸ்லிம்களின் ஆட்சிக் காலத்தில் சமஸ்கிருதம் புத்துயிர் பெற்றது என்று குறிப்பிடுகிறார். பிராந்திய எல்லைகளைக் கடந்த பொது மொழியாக விளங்கிய சமஸ்கிருதம் பிராந்திய அடையாள அரசியல் எழுச்சி பெற்றபோது தனது முக்கியத்துவத்தை இழக்கத் தொடங்கியது என்பது பொல்லாக்கின் கருத்து.

சமஸ்கிருதத்தின் நிலை குறித்து ஷெல்டன் பொல்லாக் ஆய்வு செய்திருப்பதைப் போல தமிழின் நிலை குறித்து நாம் ஆய்வு செய்தாக வேண்டும்.குறிப்பாக நமது கல்வி முறை,  தமிழ் பயிற்றுவிப்பதில் இப்போது நாம் கையாளும் வழிமுறைகள், ஊடகங்களின் பங்கு எனப் பல்வேறு அம்சங்களை நாம் கவனத்தில்கொள்ளவேண்டும். அதைவிடுத்து சமஸ்கிருதத்தை எதிரியாகக் காட்டிக்கொண்டிருப்பது நிழலோடு யுத்தம் செய்வதாகவே இருக்கும். 

'தமிழ்ச் செவ்வியல் ஆய்வுகள் இன்று' என்ற தலைப்பிலான ஆய்வரங்கின் தொடர்ச்சியாக 'தமிழும் சமஸ்கிருதமும் ' என்னும் தலைப்பில் ஆய்வரங்கு ஒன்றை மணற்கேணி ஏற்பாடு செய்யவிருக்கிறது.2012 செப்டம்பர்  முதல் வாரத்தில் நடைபெறவிருக்கும் ஒரு நாள் ஆய்வரங்கில் தமிழ் சமஸ்கிருதம் ஆகியவற்றுக்கிடையிலான உறவு குறித்து அறிஞர்கள் பலரும் ஆய்வுரைகளை வழங்கவுள்ளனர். அந்த ஆய்வரங்கில் கலந்துகொள்ளவும், கட்டுரை வாசிக்கவும் விரும்பும் ஆய்வு மாணவர்கள் ஆகஸ்டு இருபத்தைந்தாம் தேதிக்குள்manarkeni@gmail.com  என்ற மின்னஞ்சல் முகவரிக்குத் தமது விருப்பத்தைத் தெரிவித்துப் பதிவு செய்துகொள்ளலாம். இடம், நாள் ஆகியவை பின்னர் அறிவிக்கப்படும்.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Does any political party really cares for Lankan Tamils?

Thursday, July 19, 2012
 
 

Does any political party really cares for Lankan Tamils?

 

N ASOKAN | Chennai, July 17, 2012 19:45
 

Does any political party really cares for Sri Lankan Tamils?Three years have passed since the LTTE's armed movement was crushed by Sri Lanka security forces, yet there seems less efforts on the part of Lankan government to rehabilitate the Lankan Tamils.

The major political parties in Tamil Nadu that have always raised a hue and cry over the conditions of Lankan Tamils do seem to be caring less about the plight of the community. The stand taken by these parties shows whether these parties really care about the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka?.

''The past contribution of DMK and AIADMK till M G Ramachandran was alive, was really commendable in the struggle for the rights of the Sri Lanka Tamils," says Pamaran, a Coimbatore based writer and political analyst.

DMK patriarch M.Karunanidhi, the favorite whipping boy of LTTE sympathizers and Tamil Eelam supporters in Tamil Nadu, has recently made the most experienced circus artists shy by his flip flop on the Eelam issue. Few months ago he had said that he was even ready to die for Tamil Eelam, a demand for separate country for Sri Lanka Tamils. He also revived the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) which he formed in 1985 and dismantled after few years later.

Karunanidhi roped in Dravidar Kazhagam and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi as part of the TESO. He called for UN sponsored referendum among Sri Lanka Tamils to form a separate country for them. But he seems to have lost his 'leader of Tamil race' tag due to his inability to prevent or make a sincere effort to stop the reported massacre of 40,000 Tamils during the end of fourth Eelam war in 2009. His attempt to revive TESO is being seen as another political stunt.

Karunanidhi himself has proved that it was a 'stunt' when he said last Monday that he will not pass a resolution in the TESO conference that is scheduled to be held in Chennai on August 12. "There shall be no call for UN sponsored referendum also. The meet will only focus on the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka and stopping the sinhalisation of Tamil lands," said a DMK leader.

Well, this is the practical thing that DMK can now do. The reason for the sudden somersault in the stand of the grand old Dravidian party is due to the meeting between Karunanidhi and Home Minister P.Chidambaram. Home Minister  expressed the Union government's reservation over the separate Eelam call of the TESO.

New Delhi feels that a separate country call for Tamils may spell doom for Indian unity as the sections of Tamils in Tamil Nadu too will aspire for a separate nation as it was an age old call of the Dravidian movement though they dropped it back in the sixties and had integrated into the mainstream. The recent communique from the Union Home ministry extending the ban on LTTE in the India clearly shows that LTTE may have the potential to create trouble in the country.

KS Radhakrishan, senior DMK leader who is working to organise the TESO conference, says that the DMK's goal is to make the Tamils in Sri Lanka live peacefully and fearlessly. ''It is the immediate goal. We did not receive any pressure from the Centre to drop the Tamil Eelam agenda," he added.

Now every political party in the state except Congress has asked the Center to sent back the Sri Lankan army officers who were being trained in army camps in India. Parties which are more vocal in raising Sri Lankan issues like Vaiko led MDMK are conducting agitations in front of the military establishments in Chennai and Wellingdon.

''Smaller parties like us could not do anything substantial. In the sixties revolutionary movements in African and Latin American countries got support of the revolutionary organizations of the other countries. But it is history now. Post 9/11, only states can intervene in situations like Sri Lanka. In this case clearly India can only intervene to bring peace or political solution in that country because of its proximity," says former MLA D Ravikumar from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party which is one of the most vocal pro-Tamil political parties in the state.

He also adds: ''The Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora is now upset with India and seems to have launched an anti-India campaign as it feels that India aided Sri Lanka in the war against LTTE. But by doing so, they are at loss as India is the only force that can give a meaningful solution in Sri Lanka. We, the political parties here in Tamil Nadu can only pressurize the Union government to act like in the case of UN human Rights Council resolution where India voted against Sri Lanka".

''In case of the political parties in Tamil Nadu, they take one stand when they are in opposition and take a different stand when they come to power. It is the same case whether it is AIADMK or DMK. If it is helping them to garner votes or gain some political mileage they take up the Eelam cause. If it is not advantageous they are ready to drop it," says Pamaran.

Except few political movements which have nothing to do with the vote bank politics, no one really cares for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, he added.

While everyone is busy milking the Lankan issue to their advantage, the real sufferers are the Tamils in the war affected Sri Lanka who are still struggling to make their ends meet. Now it is high time to bring in real peace, dignity to Lankan Tamils through political process.


--

Friday, July 13, 2012

Nothing but academic immorality - Kancha Ilaiah



, Millennium Post, New Delhi, 13 July 2012
http://millenniumpost.in/NewsContent.aspx?NID=5364

Educational issues are best left with Parliament and not with ‘intellectual’ experts
 
Ever since the Thorat committee submitted its report on the political science text books of the NCERT of class IX to XII recommending deletion of some cartoons, changing of some words a gnat war has started against Thorat personally. M S S Pandian, who agreed to be a member of the committee never attends the meetings of the committee but writes a dissent note straight away sitting at home. If ethics are left to winds anybody can attack anybody. Pandian is a good historian no doubt. But that does not give the authority to indulge in unethical claims. If academics attack politicians for not doing their duty but ruling the roost over the nation should not academicians follow some public morals and ethics of academics? This is a serious committee constituted by a central government agency to examine the contents of the school text books that shape millions of lives in this country. A member’s primary duty is participate in the meetings and deliberations of the committee and influence its report’s content from within.
Even though he did that throughout its deliberations even then if the majority members take a position that is not agreeable to a member he should write a dissent note, which should also go as part of that report. If for whatever reasons he cannot attend the deliberations he should simply resign. But he cannot write a dissent note. If any one does that it is nothing but academic immorality. Why is a section of media giving more publicity to this kind of misdeed than the report itself? Are there no media ethics?
One cartoonist, whose cartoons were present in the NCERT text books, publishes a cartoon in a paper depicting professor Thorat as loyal dog working for the government. If this is the level to which the team that put its written material or cartoons for a price in those text books stoops down, it could be derived public good in not their motto. If this kind of people want freedom from parliamentary scrutiny, the scrutiny of independent committees and think that what they teach to children across the country has to be allowed, through the means of medium of the state itself is dangerous. They will emerge as fascists. Nobody is asking them to not to draw what they want to draw or write what they want to write and sell in the open market. But they cannot sell through state means at will, that too to young students all of castes, communities and sexes.
A section of the very same team deployed a discourse that India needs a critical pedagogy based on the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 of the NCERT. They believe that the NCF has evolved the necessary tools to evolve a curriculum that creates student mass of critical consciousness. The NCF has been prepared by academicians, who have their own ideological stands on issues like abolishing caste and untouchbility from this land. That is understandable. But their claim that the NCF-2005 is the ultimate document of education is untenable. For example the most prominent members of the committee including its chairman professor Yash Pal have no track record of being sympathetic to the most oppressed sections of the society. When he held the key academic positions including the chairmanship of the UGC he has not initiated a single programme that advanced the educational cause of SC/ST/OBCs.
Though they are the most visibly powerful people in the higher education sector they never held the central universities, IITs, IIMS guilty for not implementing the basic constitutional dictum of reservations in the teaching posts, non-teaching posts and even in the student admission procedures and so on. The parliament and the ministries took more progressive steps than these so called progressive academicians, when it came to establishment of inclusive and positively advancing higher education. This historical experience of SC/ST/OBCs and minorities shows that the so called progressive upper caste intellectuals are more systematically negative than the parliament and ministries. The political intellectuals [party leaders and activists] respond to the demands of the oppressed masses because they need to go back to them for votes. But the upper caste academic intellectuals, once got those positions, are accountable to none and much less afraid of anybody.
In fact, many of these intellectuals were executing the agenda of their political comrades, who take pro-people decisions in the parliament, but do not want them to be implemented in the field. Parliament passes laws to implement reservations, but vice-chancellors do not implement them. Why were academic experts of high caliber, who have been teaching about values to the whole world, are silent on such critical issues? Why do not they write articles and issue statements to build a public opinion that merit is a social construct? In the whole Ambedkar cartoon, curriculum and the critical pedagogy debate, some intellectuals were dismissing politicians as non-experts. How many of these so called experts, say of social sciences, produced original books that advocated the liberation of the oppressed masses, at least as much as upper caste politicians like Gandhi, Rammonohar Lohia, leave alone Ambedkar did. Where is a John Rawls among upper caste academics of India?
The NCF, which they are claiming as the ultimate document of critical pedagogy, in the very foreword of the chairman talks about the best medium of pedagogy is ‘mother tongue’ to undercut the demand of SC/ST/OBCs for common English medium education at all levels. Pal says '…That specificities matter, that the mother tongue is critical conduit, that social, economic and ethnic backgrounds are important for enabling children to construct their own knowledge'. In which Tongue they wrote the original NCERT books? In English. Which section’s mother tongue is it in India now? If mother tongue is the only source of creative writing why did these writers write these books in a foreign language, which is no body’s mother tongue in India? This is a deceptive ideological framework to hoodwink the rural and SC/ST/OBC masses not to demand for English medium schools in the government sector.
Do the cartoons put in the text books emerge out of the social, economic and ethnic background of majority of the productive and oppressed masses? Is there a single cartoon that lampoons a traditional priestly Brahmin, who attacks a Dalit at the temple, in any text? Is there is a single lesson on tanning economy, pot making technology or tilling of the land? In the entire NCF there is no stress on dignity of labour at all. On the contrary, they repeatedly stressed about peace education. NCF document says, 'Peace education as an area of study is recommended for inclusion in the curriculum for teacher education.' In a society of massive oppression and exploitation what does this peace education mean? Whose peace does it safeguard?
So far as educational issues are concerned the oppressed masses of the country would never trust the so called intellectual experts. Let parliament’s opinion prevail for some more time.
Kancha Ilaiah is an activist and writer.

Friday, July 6, 2012

பிராமி எழுத்தைக் கண்டுபிடித்தவர்கள் பிராமணர்கள்?





வணக்கம்
ஆத்திரமூட்டல் மூலம் கவனத்தை ஈர்ப்பதென்பது ஆய்வுலகைப் பீடித்திருக்கும் ஒரு நோய் . கல்வெட்டியல் ஆய்வையும் அது இப்போது பற்றிக்கொண்டுவிட்டது. மரியாதைக்குரிய திரு.ஆர்.நாகஸ்வாமி அவர்கள் எழுதியிருக்கும் Mirror of Tamil and Sanskrit என்ற நூல் குறித்து அவர் இந்து நாளேட்டுக்கு வழங்கியிருக்கும் நேர்காணல் ஆழ்ந்த ஆய்வை வெளிப்படுத்துவதற்குப் பதிலாக ஆத்திரமூட்டிக் கவனத்தை ஈர்க்கும் அணுகுமுறையைக் கொண்டிருப்பது வேதனை அளிக்கிறது.
 
அசோகர் புத்த மதத்தைத் தழுவினாலும் அவர் அந்த மதத்தைப் பரப்புவதாக எங்குமே குறிப்பிட்டதில்லை என நாகஸ்வாமி தெரிவித்திருக்கிறார். இதை மறுத்து திரு. பி.என்.சுப்ரமணியன் இந்து நாளேட்டுக்குக் கடிதமொன்றை அனுப்பியிருக்கிறார். அதை இங்கே தருகிறேன் : 

"Asoka embraced Buddhism no doubt. But nowhere does he mention that he 
is spreading Buddha Dharma" 

"Thus speaks the Beloved of the Gods, (Asoka): I have been a Buddhist 
layman for more than two and a half years, but I did not make much 
progress. Now for more than a year I have drawn closer to the Order 
and have become more ardent. The gods, who in India up to this time 
did not associate with men, now mingle with them, and this is the 
result of my efforts. Moreover this is not something to be obtained 
only by the great, but it is also open to the humble, if they are 
earnest and they can even reach heaven easily. This is the reason for 
this announcement that both humble and great should make progress and 
that the neighboring peoples also should know that the progress is 
lasting, And this investment will increase and increase abundantly, 
and increase to half as much again. This matter must he inscribed here 
and elsewhere on the hills, and wherever there is a stone pillar it is 
to be engraved on that pillar. You must go out with this document 
throughout the length and breadth of your district. This announcement 
has been proclaimed while on tour; 256 nights have been spent on 
tour."

from:  PN Subramanian

பிராமி எழுத்தைக் கண்டுபிடித்தவர்கள் பிராமணர்கள் என்று  நாகஸ்வாமி கூறியிருக்கிறார். அசோகன் பிராமியைவிட காலத்தால் முந்தைய தமிழ் எழுத்துப் பொறிப்புகள் பொருந்தல் அகழ்வாய்விலும் வேறு சில அக்ழ்வாய்வுகளிலும் கிடைத்துள்ள நிலையில் அசோகன் பிராமியிலிருந்தே தமிழ் எழுத்து உருவானது என்கிற பழைய வாதத்தையே முன்வைப்பது மட்டுமின்றி பிராமியைக் கண்டுபிடித்தவர்கள் பிராமணர்கள்தாம் என்று எந்த ஆதாரமும் இல்லாமல் நாகஸ்வாமி பேசியிருப்பது அதிர்ச்சி மதிப்பீட்டுக்காகத்தான் என என்ன வேண்டியிருக்கிறது. இதுகுறித்து ctamil மடல் குழுமத்தில் திரு.ஜார்ஜ் ஹார்ட் சரியான மறுப்புகளைப் பதிவு செய்திருக்கிறார். 

இந்த மடல் குழுமத்தில் இருக்கும் தமிழ் அறிஞர்கள் இதுகுறித்துத் தமது கருத்துகளைப் பதிவு செய்தால் உதவியாக இருக்கும். 

ரவிக்குமார் 

Cartoon history


Cartoon history
Suggestions to delete some textbook cartoons are sensible
Business Standard / New Delhi July 05, 2012, 0:01 IST

The committee formed by the human resource development ministry to examine objections to political science textbooks issued by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has submitted its 39-page report, which has come in for predictable criticism. The Thorat committee recommended that 21 cartoons be deleted and some other changes be made to the textbooks for next year. The report will now be examined by NCERT’s textbook-monitoring committee. This transparent process of review and consultation should set at rest concerns, loudly expressed earlier, that the “political class” wished to stifle academic voices by exercising raw power to short-circuit institutional channels.
Reports of the Thorat committee’s suggestions also reveal that, quite clearly, some of the choices that went into the drafting of the textbooks were questionable. In particular, it is clear that there was an over-reliance on editorial cartoons as a pedagogic tool. Textbooks must include varied source materials and illustrations so that students are provided with both an entertaining and a thought-provoking experience. It is quite fallacious, however, to make the claim that an overuse of editorial cartoons is the best way to do this. Not only does it make for lazy textbook-writing – graphical illustrations need to be more varied – but it also comprehensively misunderstands the purpose and nature of editorial comment. Such comment is invariably embedded in the here-and-now; cartoons, in particular, carry the weight of complex allusion, not just of straightforward illustration. There are, thus, limits to their usefulness as teaching tools for timeless textbooks, especially in the hands of the overworked or under-trained teachers in most government schools. The panel of distinguished academic drafters of the textbooks, caught up in the romantic vision of introducing a completely new form of teaching, perhaps moved a little too far from the reality of Indian classrooms. Put bluntly, cartoons should not be used as a crutch to make excessively dry text entertaining, which is what these textbooks seem to have tried to do.
The other question is on the nature of the Thorat committee’s recommended deletions. Many observers, perhaps caught up in the anti-politics mood of the moment, have suggested that these recommendations have been made purely to protect the interests of the political and bureaucratic classes. The dissenting member of the five-member committee, M S S Pandian, said that because something is “politically incorrect” does not mean it is “educationally inappropriate”. This statement is not just indefensible when it comes to publicly funded textbooks; it is also inapplicable here. Criticism of politicians is not being “politically incorrect”. It is, in fact, the dominant discourse in India. The cartoons chosen for these textbooks strengthen, rather than complicate, that narrative — depicting politicians or bureaucrats as venal, favour-seeking, inefficient and altogether contemptible. The extent to which that picture is true is a conclusion that students should come to on their own, not by being spoon-fed by the material chosen for them — such as cartoons that ask them: “How do we live with the kind of political parties we have?” The Thorat committee’s suggestions are minimalist in substance and progressive in spirit. NCERT should consider them with care.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/cartoon-history/479393/

Kalpana Kannabiran on M.S.S.Pandian's note on NCERT text books



Here is a letter I wrote to the Editor, The Hindu, which was not carried. Also relevant is the fact that Pandian's note is an independent report and not part of the deliberations of the Review Committee. The official report very clearly states that Pandian did not attend the meetings and did not participate in the discussions.  He was therefore only a nominal member of the committee.  His note does not form part of the report of the review committee. His note in this context can scarcely be described as a "dissent", which must by definition arise from the deliberations and must form part of the report.

I think this is necessary for us to bear in mind.

Kalpana







Dear Editor

There are widely varying views on the use of cartoons in NCERT textbooks. MSS Pandian's dissent (4 July)  is completely in line with one set of views that unequivocally defends the textbooks.  The trouble with this view is that it dismisses criticism without applying the critical thinking that  it advocates for children to its own endeavours. Pandian does not say anything new or different either in tenor or substance.  Nor does his note on the face of it engage with the deliberations of the Thorat  Committee. Be that as it may, what is surprising is the tenor of the editorial, which reiterates what Pandian has said, and casts all criticism of the textbooks in the language of honour and shame. Why is it a national shame if the government accepts the recommendations of the Thorat Committee and why is Pandian's dissent honourable? After due deliberation, the committee has arrived at a set of recommendations, which one can agree or disagree with. But surely The Hindu should make space for more representative stands on the issue.

Kalpana Kannabiran
Council for Social Development
Rajendranagar
Hyderabad 500030

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

How the S.K.Thorat committee reviewed the cartoons?



( this is the portion where the committee explained its approach. It is shocking to know that there were no guidelines to choose cartoons for the text books. It was left to the text book development team. The report is yet to be released officially. This is from the ‘ wiki leaked’ report published by Kafila)
Guidelines used by the Committee to review the Materials and Visuals

The Review Committee reviewed the six textbooks keeping in view the above mentioned guidelines and principles, namely guiding principles of National Curriculum Framework – 2005, objective of Teaching of Social Sciences at Secondary and Higher Secondary Stage and Specific objectives of teaching political science at Secondary and Sr. Secondary stage.  Further the following criteria were also taken into consideration while reviewing the educational materials, consisting of both written text and visual including the cartoons. 
5.1     Criteria to Review the Content of Textbooks
     i.        Convergence:
While reviewing the textbooks the Committee examined whether the written text or contents were in consonance with the illustrations.

   ii.        Targeting of individuals or groups of individual 
The lessons were reviewed to see whether the content both verbal and non verbal and examples, targets individuals or group of individuals or are intended to clarify the concepts and content.  Whether there were distortions in explanation and interpretation?  Whether the illustrations or pictures were “event specific or person specific.” 
 iii.        Sense of proportion in presentation
Balance in content, illustrations, visuals, cartoons and other visuals.

 iv.        Analytical and synthesis mode
Whether the content of the lessons focuses only on analysis or on synthesis also.

   v.        Level of satire 
What is the level of satire? Is it appropriate for students of that age? Is the satire subtle or abrasive?
 vi.        Positive and negative examples
Is there a balance between positive and negative examples – case studies, cartoons, visuals, collage etc?
7.                   Quality of illustration
Quality of the illustration was seen in terms of being eye-catching and stimulating the imagination

8.   Sensitivity 
a)    How sensitive are the cartoons and illustrations towards communities, castes, ethnicity, religions, women, language and other groups and minorities? In a country as diverse as India the above considerations cannot be disregarded.
b)   Individual specific and issue specific visuals

5.2     Guidelines used for review of cartoons
The general objection raised in Parliament and outside Parliament by some groups was that the use of cartoons is inappropriate in some textbooks.  The letter by two Advisors to the Review Committee also mentions this.  The Committee tried to get the guidelines for the use of cartoons by NCERT.  It emerged from the discussion with the former Director of NCERT and Chief Advisors that no specific guidelines were laid down for the use of visuals including cartoons.  The general guidelines used for the written text were also used for selection of cartoons.  The Chief Advisors in the interactive meeting held on 28 May 2012 informed the Committee that the selection of the cartoons was generally left to the Textbook Development Team.
However the Chief Advisors in ‘A Letter to You’ in the books mentioned the importance of the cartoons in teaching.   In the text book titled Indian Constitution at work for Class XI, importance of cartoons has been pointed out.  The Advisors write that “the cartoons are not there simply as comic relief. They tell about the criticisms, the weak spots and mere failures.  They also help to learn both about politics and about how to think about politics.  “Thus for these reasons, the Advisors emphasised the importance of cartoons in teaching.  Chief Advisors observed:
We cannot claim to be experts in educational psychology and it may be important to take experts’ view on whether or not students aged 15-18 should be exposed to cartoons. We simply shared and followed the spirit of NCF 2005 that invited us to bridge the gap between bookish leaning and the world outside the classrooms. Cartoons used in the Political Science textbooks do different things at different points in the text: entertain or engaged the readers, invite them to return to the text with a new range of questions or help them achieve   critical distance vis-a-vis received wisdom, including that of the textbook itself.—-Exposing the students to these and other cartoons from all over the world encourage them to relates to the working of democracy. Elements such as cartoons, pictures and news papers clipping aim at situating the abstract point in the context of the actual processes that unfolded in the past or are unfolding in the contemporary  movement. These are not visual distractions but integral to the design of these textbooks.”
The former Director of NCERT and the Chief Advisors thus attributed great significance to the use of cartoons in teaching.  This view indeed is supported by researchers as well.  It is argued that sociologically, cartoons are a powerful means of providing social and political comments because so often they are unmasking and they reveal the contrast between perception and reality.  Cartoons can be used with students to objectively analyse every day social behaviour and stimulus to reflections on attitudes. (Ziegler 1998, Witkin 1999, Khauan Wai Bing and Chua Hong Tam 2003, Taher Bahrani Rahmatollah Soltani, 2011) (see reference at the end).
However the views expressed by the Advisors did not mention about the precautions in the selection and use of the cartoons in teaching.  The literature on the use of the cartoons revealed that while it recognised their usefulness in teaching, it also demand precaution in their use.  There is a need for a careful balance with humour and the content that we would like our student to learn.” (Khauan Wai     Bing and Chua Hong Tam 2003, Taher Bahrani Rahmatollah Soltani, 2011).  The researchers have indicated precaution in few respects.  The first precaution is about the careful selection of the cartoons keeping in view the goals of the specific subject. It is through the careful selection and use of appropriate and relevant cartoons that an element of humour can be introduced, where appropriate, without detracting from the intension of the teaching.  The second precaution is that it is essential to practice using it at least once with groups of learners before final inclusion in the textbook.  According to experts, this will help to find out if the cartoon selected is going to work and in the expected way with expected results. If they do not produce the desire effects, then it might need to be scrapped or modified (Taher Bahrani Rahmatollah Soltani, 2011).  The researchers also warn that, users has to guard against the overuse of cartoons or possible “unintended consequences”, particularly of caption humour, which are sensitive to certain groups  of people in  culturally diversified society.  The expert further cautioned that there is also the risk of offending through misunderstanding with any joke being perceived as source of ridicule, sarcasm or as being racist or sexist in nature (Khauan Wai     Bing and Chua Hong Tam 2003) . There is also likely to be differential response between the students due their background and language deficiency .It is for these risk elements that cartoons need to be used wisely. Wai and Tam argued that facilitators have to realize that what works for some people might not work for others. The researchers also caution about the overuse of cartoons and mentioned that ,” one has to be careful not to overuse cartoons or their effect will be diminished if not lost” .There is a  needs to be a careful balance with humour and the content that we would like our students  to learn, observed  Wai and Tam ( 2003) .
In the absence of clear guidelines for the use of cartoons by NCERT, the review Committee has kept these insights in consideration in reviewing the cartoons in six textbooks in Political Science. The Committee used the following criterion to review the cartoons:
·         ·         Based on visual relief and fun
·         ·         Improve teaching and learning
·         ·         Provides background information in the text  to help the students appreciate the message
·         ·         Help expand students’ imagination
·         ·         Sensitivity with respect to various caste, ethnic, religious, gender  and regional minorities
·         ·         Messages the cartoons give about the people and political Institutions.