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Madras High court concerned over involvement of kids in crimes

Petitioner has approached this court not only to protect the fundamental right to life, but also exercised his duty as a dutiful citizen.

Chennai: Accepting the plea of the petitioner A. Saravanakumar to issue directions to the government to include Tirukkural in school syllabus as maintainable, the Madurai bench of Madras high court on Wednesday said the petitioner has approached this court not only to protect the fundamental right to life, but has also exercised his duty as a dutiful citizen to find remedy to the persisting problems in the society.

Expressing serious concerns over involvement of children and adolescents in crimes and degradation of moral values among the youth in the country, Justice Mahadevan said the present education syllabus is inadequate to improve the moral value among the students.

When the government pleader contended that the education department had already included selected couplets totaling 275 from Tirukkural and portions from Mahabharatham, Kamba Ramayanam, Agananooru, Purananoour among other Tamil literately works in the subject of moral science, the court observed that including Tirukkural as 'Manapada Pagudhi’ (memorise and write) for the purpose of examination is of no use.

The other Tamil literature referred in the arguments like Mahabaratham revolved around quest for power and individual lives of kings and gods, but Tirukkural preaches moral values without affiliations and godly interventions.

“That is why Thirukkural has been universally accepted to be best moral philosophies covering all branches of life…It is the third most translated work after the holy Koran and Bible,” said the judge adding that that the father of nation M. K. Gandhi studied Tamil mainly to know about moral values such as non-violence and tolerance advocated in Tirukkural. To teach Tirukkural without burden, the education department can use various adaptations and stories associated with the couplets in the form of Tirukkural Kathaigal, the court said.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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