Students of Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) expressed annoyance over the Union Human Resource Development Ministry’s direction to educational institutes across the country to conduct a mass singing of the national anthem on their premises on Tuesday. They called the move as being an enforcement of patriotism.
The circular, issued by the University Grants Commission under the direction of Department of Higher Education of HRD ministry, said that the country has entered its 70th year of independence, and the period from August 9 to 23 is being declared as a freedom fortnight under the name: ‘ Azadi 70: Yaad Karo Kurbani ’. It said students all over the country should celebrate this fortnight in an ‘appropriate manner.’
However, two TISS students, requesting anonymity, told The Hindu that the move by the ministry is arbitrary. One of them said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is being insecure. “It seems like the Modi government can’t trust you unless you brand nationalist insignia on your body. To me it’s only jingoism and trivialisation and we need to protest against this.” The other student said the government is trying to impose its perception of patriotism on people.
“Instead of letting institutions take a call on how they choose to participate in events, the HRD ministry seems to be taking arbitrary measures to control and coordinate how people perceive their patriotism. Since when did we become such a weak and insecure democracy?” the student said. Both students did not wish to be named as they feared getting “mobbed.”
The circular, authored by Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary (administration), Department of Higher Education, MHRD, mentioned a list of activities, one of which must be conducted by the institute, and said it should also, “organise the mass singing of the national anthem at 11 a.m. on August 23, 2016,” following which, it asked the universities and their affiliated colleges to mail the ministry a report of the event, along with pictures and videos.
Mr. Kumar, however, said the mass singing was not mandatory and that people are making an “issue out of a non-issue.”
Authorities at University of Mumbai and University of Pune said they complied with the directions in the circular. Sanjay Deshmukh, Vice-Chancellor at Mumbai University, said the university supports the idea put forth by the government, and that the affiliated colleges were already requested by the university to play the national anthem in their premises everyday, like in school.
The writer is an intern at The Hindu
