She rejected Opposition charges of appointing Hindutva scholars to academic bodies
HRD minister Smriti Irani
New Delhi: Combative HRD minister Smriti Irani on Monday dismissed Opposition accusations that education in India was being “saffronised” and said the BJP government was trying to spread education “within the limits prescribed by the Constitution”.
Replying to the debate, Ms Irani strongly defended some controversial decisions by her ministry like scrapping of Delhi University’s Four-Year Undergraduate Programme and asking IITs to seek her ministry’s advice on MoUs.
She rejected Opposition charges of appointing Hindutva scholars to academic bodies, saying many were linked to the Left and Congress as well. Rejecting charges of saffronisation of education, the minister said her government was committed to spreading education “within the limits prescribed by the Constitution”.
Taking on Trinamul MP Sugata Bose and Congress’ Sushmita Dev for their claims of appointing people with “saffron” ideology to the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), she said scholars like Purabi Roy, associated with CPI, and Sacchidananda Sahai, a close associate of Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev, too were appointed to the body.
Ms Irani said the ministry intervened in Delhi University’s decision to introduce an FYUP as the 40-odd courses were not sanctioned by the President. “The programme would have produced 77,000 students (each year) with degrees without any worth. We have actually protected their future,” she added.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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