Don't promote Sanskrit at the cost of other regional language: M A A Fatmi

Aligarh: Sanskrit should not be promoted at the cost of other regional languages, said former HRD minister M A A Fatmi, who also accused the Centre's education policy as "backward and insular".

"It is a welcome step that the government has decided to promote Sanskrit but this should not be done hastily at the cost of other regional languages," Former Union HRD Minister of State M A A Fatmi said on Monday.

"We will support the government if it opens Sanskrit schools, colleges and universities at suitable places all over the country. However, if the government goes ahead with its policy of making Sanskrit compulsory as it is doing in the case of Kendriya Vidyalayas, it would only lead to resistance amongst students," former RJD's National General Secretary said.

Fatmi also accused the BJP-led government at the centre of following a backward and insular education policy.

"Modi had claimed that he would take the country forward into the 21st century by following a progressive policy in the vital field of education. Unfortunately, however, the very opposite is taking place," Fatmi told reporters here.

"What we are seeing is that instead of inducting the best and the brightest educationists, the present government is hastily filling all vital posts with men belonging to the RSS, who carry out outdated ideas," he claimed.

"Another very alarming move is that of trying to encroach up on the autonomy of important centres of higher education, including the Aligarh Muslim University. The subtle manner in which the BJP tried to use the issue of AMU central library and now the issue of freedom fighter Raja Mahendra Pratap, to needle the AMU, does not auger well," he said.

Fatmi said,” if the government is really serious about honouring Raja Mahendra Pratap then I would strongly recommend that the government should honour him and his closest associate Maulana Barkatullah Khan with the Bharat Ratna. I can safely say that both of them deserve it. This would be better than trying to use communalism and casteism for polarizing society merely for political gains."

"The BJP is a party without icons and one-by-one they are trying to appropriate secular icons like Raja Mahendra Pratap who had nothing to do with the BJP’s communal agenda. Raja Mahendra Pratap had always opposed the Jana Sangh tooth and nail. They do not have a single leader worth the name who took part in the national movement for freedom of the country," he alleged.