Mailbag

Vedas impart education

Sir,

The loud mouthed fulminations and protests by the Education Ministers during the recently held Education Ministers' Conference at the Central Capital over 'Saraswati Vandana' were not only uncalled for but also bizzare. The people of India have to cognise that India cannot continue for long with the paradigm and discourse set by Lord Macaulay with a view to perpetuate the British rule in this country. The narrow objectives that he had set for the Indian education continue to rule roost. Since the change over of political power in 1947 the new rulers played short shrift with the Indian education and made no serious attempts to re-vitalise and overhaul it in sync with the pristine spiritual vision of India and the significance of her civilisational and cultural heritage. The British legacy, despite its glaring flaws, was uncritically accepted and perpetuated. The Education Ministers who staged a walk out for political considerations smack of Archer who had the temerity to class all the Indian achievements in the domains presided over by the Goddess Saraswati as a repulsive mass of unspeakable barbarism.

As slaves to the Macaulay brand of education they view the Goddess of learning with its large lotus eyes of erudition and catholicity as sectarian and antagonistic to the pseudo-secular conceptualisations about education far removed from the roots of India and its broad humanistic axiological structure.

The Education Ministers betrayed their sheer ignorance when they protested against the inclusion of vedas in the study programmes at various levels. They must learn that the Vedas are a repository of wisdom and knowledge interpreting man, world and divine in a consummate technique great in movement and subtle in modulation.

The intelligentsia in India is on the brink of this realisation that India is in dire need of re-orientation of its national goals and destinations which cannot pander the vote bank politics and political vested interests.

Yours etc......
Prof M.L. Koul
R/o Talab Tillo

Increase Stipend

Sir,

The existing rate of stipend of Rs. 400/- (Four hundred) only was revised vide SRO No. 500 of 1997 dated 16.10.87 in favour of ACC apparentices having retrospective effect from 1.9.1986. The above revision was made on the basis of price index (i.e.) 608 points (base year 1960-61=100 points). The whole sale price index had been rapidly increased during the period of 1987-96 and has registered an abnormal increase of (902) points. The Government have revised the pay scale of its employees including this category of employees three times during this period but the rate of stipend of ACC apprentices remained unchanged. The ACC apprentices should urge the Government through their Association to revise their stipend linked with price index in last months of 1995. The case was also processed and enhancement of stipend from Rs. 400 to Rs. 800 was also approved by the Finance Minister on 10/96. The relevant file on the subject is gathering dust in the rakes of Codes Section of Finance Deptt. who have least time to attend such matters being pre-occupied with the conduct of meeting of different departments for regularisation of daily wagers etc. Needless to mention that ACC apprentices (before their appointments against the available vacancies) have to undergo training in the prescribed course for one year in the A.T. Institutes for one year which are located at Jammu/Srinagar cities and have to arrange private rented accommodation in absence of any hostel facilities and the amount of Rs. 400/- is to meagre to meet the rentals alone.

The wages of dailywager revised by the Central Govt from Rs. 35/- to Rs. 40/- per day and they have advised all the State Government to follow the suit. It is more than 3-4 months now but the wages of daily rated workers have not been revised. The agency performing this job is also the same. The cause of delay is obvious.

Will the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Kindly intervene in the matter and have the order issued for "Revision'' of stipend of ACC apprentices and daily wagers get issued immediately linked with the price index as on 1.1.1998 in view of the genuineness of the problems.

Yours etc.......
Sain Dass Sumbria
Pacci Dakki, Jammu

Release ex-gratia relief

Sir,

It may be recalled that militants had massacred 26 members of two marriage parties and wounded seven others on June 19 this year near the wayside hamlet of Chapnari. The Government had sanctioned Rs. 1 lac in favour of the families of those killed and Rs. 20,000/- in favour of the injured but the ex-gratia relief is still in the coffers of the Government. Some of the injured who are still undergoing treatment in various hospitals are the only earning members of their families. These families are finding it difficult to earn their livelihood and are living a miserable life. It is, therefore, requested to the Minister concerned and other bureaucrats to provide the aggrieved families the sanctioned relief as soon as possible as the lip sympathy will not help them in any way.

Yours etc
Sudhir Kumar Sharma
Shivalik Puram Janipur
Colony Jammu

What about real astrologers?

Sir,

Apropos to Mr K.B. Raina's letter under the caption 'Fake Astrologers' in your esteemed daily dated 28th instant, I would like to say that fake astrologers apart, what about those who are supposed to be real ones? And one 'Astrological Magazine' from Bangalore did make absolutely a wrong prediction in the 1977 annual issue of the said magazine. In the forecast for the year 1977 among other things, he did forecast that Mrs Gandhi would retain power but she lost two months thereafter say in March, 1977 when elections were held.

What Mr. K.B. Raina has to say about such astrologers supposed to be well versed in astrology?

Yours etc............
Pran Nath Tikku
C/o Vikas Nagar,
Jammu-Tawi

Real tribute

Sir,

The Police Commemoration Day was observed on 21 October 1998 to pay tributes to the valiant and patriotic officers and jawans of the police and paramilitary forces who fought with the militants to the last ditch for protecting the unity and integrity of the country. On this occasion it was befitting to remember the brave young men of J&K like SI Daljeet Singh, DSP Gulbadan Singh Bhau, ASI Mohd Siddique, S I Ajay Gupta and countless others, who sacrificed their precious lives for their motherland without caring for themselves. How can the people of J&K over foreget the selfless sacrifices of these martyrs? The least we can do to honour their sacrifices is to render all possible help to the security forces in tracking down the militants and anti-national. This will be our real tribute to these martyrs.

Yours etc............
Rajesh Bargotra,
H.No. 5, Haji Pura, Jammu