EDUCATION

“Changed NCERT textbooks from next session”
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, December 11
The portions deleted by the NCERT from history books gave one-sided view of a section of historians who had been authoring these books for the past many years, said Prof J.S. Rajput, Director, NCERT, while talking to Chandigarh Tribune here today.

Prof Rajput, who was here to participate in a three-day conference of the Council of Boards of School Education in India (COBSE), said the NCERT had been receiving representations from historians that different views about certain historical facts in the history books, especially those related to different religions, were one-sided.” I had received a resolution from the Delhi Vidhan Sabha about the objectionable parts in the Sikh history chapter, which was forwarded to the CBSE”, he said

Now we have formed a panel of historians, educationists and other eminent persons to suggest changes in the history books. The changed textbooks (of all subjects) of Classes VI, IX and X would be introduced from the next session. He said the NCERT had emphasised that at primary level, a student should be taught his mother tongue, especially in the remote and tribal areas. The medium of education should be regional language of the area concerned.

Dr R.H. Dave, Chief Adviser of the COBSE, said political interference was affecting the functioning of the NCERT.

“If any politician tells anything relevant, we will adopt it. Politicians are helpful in sensitising us”, he said, “but the march should be towards the progress of education.”

When asked about the deletions made by the NCERT in history books, he said the decision should be left to the educationists and historians. He said an unnecessary hype had been created by vested interests. The students should be taught according to their maturity level.

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Election Court exceeded jurisdiction
Tribune News Service

In his detailed order, the Judge observed: “The remedy of the election petition to seek a declaration of having been elected in the previous election would legally be closed with the declaration of the fresh elections. The course adopted by the State Election Commission is not legally correct. Once holding of elections was publically notified, no uncertainty could have been allowed to be brought in. The State Election Commission was not competent to create uncertainty by putting a condition regarding the result of the election or by issuing any direction to its officers. The result of an election once held has to be given full effect to. The only remedy before an aggrieved party, if any, is either to participate in the election which is open to all, or have the election cancelled”.

Handcuffing of former Judge

After holding that the handcuffing and illegal detention of former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Justice A.S. Bains was “definitely a violation of fundamental rights”, Mr Justice V.M. Jain of the High Court on Tuesday ruled that the Judge was entitled to the grant of Rs 50,000 as compensation.

Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Jain also ruled that the then Sub Inspector, now Deputy Superintendent of Police, Harpal Singh was liable to pay the amount to the petitioner. The Judge added: “State of Punjab would also be vicariously liable to pay the amount of compensation to the petitioner. The state would, however, be entitled to recover the amount from Harpal Singh in case recovery was effected from the state”.

In his detailed order, the Judge observed: “It is clear that the petitioner, previously a member of the Bar and later on a member of the Bench was arrested on April 3, 1992 and his arrest was shown on April 4, 1992. He was produced before the Court on April 5, 1992. Further, on April 4, 1992, he was handcuffed by SI Harpal Singh and was brought from Ropar to Chandigarh and again taken from Chandigarh to Anandpur Sahib in handcuffs. All this is definitely a violation of the fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution of India and the law laid down by the Supreme Court”.

The Judge concluded: “In my opinion, the petitioner is entitled to monetary compensation for his unlawful detention on April 3, 1992, and for being handcuffed in violation of the law laid down by the Supreme Court. The amount of Rs 50,000 being claimed by the petitioner cannot be said to be on the higher side. He is entitled to the grant of Rs 50,000 as compensation for illegal detention and for being handcuffed. The petition is allowed and the respondents, jointly and severally, are liable to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to the petitioner within two months from today”.

Application for stay

A Division Bench of the High Court on Tuesday allowed a petition filed by Haryana’s former minister Tejinder Pal Singh seeking directions for quashing an orders issued on November 22 rejecting his application for stay in his appeal against an earlier orders directing his ejectment from land in his possession since 1950.

In his petition taken up by the Bench comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice Jasbir Singh, Mr Tejinder Singh had earlier contended that the land was transferred to him in Tahapur village in Karnal district in lieu of land abandoned by his father in Lyallpur district in West Pakistan. He had claimed that due to political reasons, the transfer of land had been ordered to be withdrawn.

Notice of motion

A Division Bench of the High Court on Tuesday issued notice of motion on a petition filed by Punjab’s Joint Director of Prosecution and Litigation Avtar Singh Sandhu for quashing the agenda of the Departmental Promotion Committee set up for filling the post of Additional Director of Prosecution and Litigation.

In his petition taken up by Mr Justice Amar Bir Singh Gill and Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar, Mr Sandhu had also challenged the action of the state of Punjab in treating him as junior to Joint Director Mukhtiar Singh Gill.

Bail for land scam accused
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 11
An employee of the UT Estate Office, Jasbir Kaur, who had been arrested by the UT Vigilance Department, was today granted bail by a local court on furnishing bond of Rs 15,000.

The accused was arrested by the UT Vigilance Department along with Kulbir Singh Gill on November 23 in connection with the Mauli Jagran land scam. Kulbir Singh was earlier posted as Joint Secretary, State Transport Authority, Haryana. Jasbir Kaur, was ledger clerk with the UT Estate Office. 3

It was alleged that Kulbir Singh Gill, when posted as Tehsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate in the UT, had played a role in a Mauli Jagran land scam. The UT Vigilance Department had arrested more than 15 persons in connection with the scam. It was alleged that the accused were involved in the sale of 92 plots on government land.

CULTURE

“A versatile actor, a friend of people”
City residents pay homage to Ashok Kumar
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 11
Memories are strong, strong enough to challenge the power of death. They take control before the mortal mass is done to ashes and they linger even after the story of life ends. Dada Moni may be no more. But the feel of his benign presence will remain, because there can be no fullstops to existence. Death can engineer the halt of physical movement but it can’t fight the immortal spirit.

No wonder the news of Dada Moni’s death unleashed a host of reminiscences which will keep the city’s heart tied to the man that Ashok Kumar Ganguly was — gentle, humble, perfect to perfection. An era has ended with the man who made easy his journey from a lab assistant to Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner. The pain of his loss is thick in the air, but thicker than pain is the joy his remembrance begets. All those who witnessed Ashok Kumar in an interview some days back would be happy to remember what he last stated: “I am happy to have lived my life to the full.”

Reputed city-based costume designer Dolly Ahluwalia watched Dada Moni’s last interview. She could not help recounting her first impression of Ashok Kumar whom she saw on the sets of Hum Log in 1980s. “I remember how he offered his chair to a 76-year-old television actress. His shawl fell down while vacating the seat. When the actress bent to pick the shawl, he interrupted her, saying: It is my work to pick up this shawl. You please sit.” Humble that he was, he had to be a great actor, someone with whom you could relate. Said Dolly, “He lived his roles so perfectly that he made dramatic sequences appear true to life. Not even once did he look repetitive. He had an identity of his own. Everyone who ever watched his films Gumrah and Chalti ka Naam Gadi moved along with him. I was lucky to have shared a note with him when I was training at the film institute in Pune.”

Sangeet Natak Akademi award winners G.S. Chani and Kamal Tewari swear by Dada Moni’s larger than life image. Chani calls him the torchbearer of realistic cinema. He said: “Dada Moni was the trendsetter during the phase of transition which saw the growth of cinema from silent films to realistic. His very presence on the sets would change the entire culture of the unit, even the treatment of the film. He was a great improviser and interpreter of sequences. He represented the age of social realism in cinema. So memorable was his performance in Achhut Kanya that even Dalip Kumar would not dare upstage him.” Chani remembers having met Ashok Kumar at the Pune film institute. “I cannot forget his larger than life image. I felt I was meeting a hermit,” he said.

Kamal Tewari’s impressions of Ashok Kumar dates back to childhood days. “We grew with his films. An era has ended with him, but one high point is that he has left the inspiration behind. After the family of Gangulys (Ashok, Kishore, Anup), other families in the industry were inspired to be more creative. Thanks to this inspiration, now many actors emerge from the same family.” As a man of theatre himself, Kamal’s flight was always inspired by Dada Moni, who had risen from ashes. “He was versatile. He was a singer, a sound engineer, even a homoeopathic doctor. But more than that he was a friend of people.”

Veteran theatre activist Virendra Mehndiratta still remembers how he used to go to Lyallpur to watch Ashok Kumar’s films. The song Chal Chal re naujawan is still fresh in his memory. Recalling how talented Ashok Kumar was, he said: “He used to fit so well in the characters of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyaya that we could not relate with Dalip Kumar in the role of Devdas. Like a true artiste, Ashok Kumar grew with time. With him has gone a great tradition.”

For Anuradha Bhasin and Munna Dhiman, both members of Centre for Education and Voluntary Action (CEVA), Dada Moni’s departure is like a part of the family lost. Said Anuradha, “I was genuinely upset when I heard the news. You cannot digest the loss of some people. They are so great that they appear to be much above the scale of life and death. Dada Moni was so full of life. He never appeared to be acting. He was always living his roles.” Added Munna: “He could be so versatile at the same time. His philosophical role in Mili truly matched his spirited performance in Victoria 203. He could secure some sort of uniformity in all his roles. And even in his uniformity he could be different. He was the actor.”

Architect Aditya Prakash remembers Achhut Kanya very vividly. “His role was inspiring. More inspiring was the fact that he was singing his own songs along with his heroine Devika Rani. That was a different age and he was a representative of a very rich cinematic tradition. His success lies in the fact that you are here, asking me how strongly I felt about him. He was a very affectionate, a very humane person, someone whose memories will never be washed off.”

Voice that unravels mysticism of music
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, December 11
Melody, the hallmark of Kirana Gharana, was at it’s best in tonight’s concert presented by Shikha Ganguly at Bhaskar Rao Indoor Auditorium on the occasion of the 59th Monthly Baithak Programme of Pracheen Kala Kendra in sector 35.

When the inherent enigma, the intrinsic mystic element and fluidity of Kirana Gharana was mixed with a voice dripped in purity the result was divine. Shikha’s 20-year-long commitment with music has given her a command over the raagas which can easily attain her the position of an “accomplished” in the field of Hindustani Classical music.

Starting the programme with a bandish “Aaj eeso ban banayo” in Raag Puriya Kalyan, Shikha moved onto another item “Un bin kalne pare” in drut teen taal which hit the instant rapport with the audience.

A disciple of Pandit Mani Prasad, celebrated vocalist of Kirana Gharana, Shikha lived upto the expectations of the audience as she sang Raaga Nand “Dhoondo vari saiyan” in vilambit ek taal” and “Aaj hu na aai sham” in drut taal. The concluding item was a thumri “Saawan Jhar Lagi” in Raaga Des which was well appreciated by music lovers.

An approved artist for All India Radio and Doordarshan, Shikha has been awarded with titles like “Surmani” by Sur Sringar Samsad, Mumbai, “Kalashree” by Navarang Kala Parishad, Jaipur and “Suroshree” by Ahom Sangeet Seva Sangathan, Guwahati.

Shikha, who runs Sur Mandir- an institute of art and culture in New Delhi has performed all over India and many parts of the world, including England, France, Germany, Nepal, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemberg. Tonight’s performance at Pracheen Kala Kendra was her first concert in City Beautiful.

Shikha was accompanied by Soumitra Paul on tabla who has been awarded the title of “Sur Mani” by Sur Shingar sansad, Mumbai and Indrani Mudi on harmonium who supported the vocalist. 

Improvising folk tales for children
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 11
Sounds of laughter filled the air of Guru Harkishen Model Public School in Sector 38. At work this morning was a team of 22 young artistes, busy staging a hilarious production titled ‘Dono mar gaye khatam kahani’. The play, which blended two folk tales into a highly-relevant realistic sequence, had a strong message to convey. And this notwithstanding the fact that at the end of the production, one of the actors declared: ‘Is kahani se hame koi shiksha nahi milti.’

The play was meant to mark the conclusion of a month-long community theatre workshop entitled dramatising folk tales. An apt example of theatre for children, by adults, today’s play had all ingredients of a mature production. It has well-improvised sequences, strong script and power-packed performances by all 22 actors. The play blended two folk tales — one of the burglar, who is so blessed with wit that he sells off the men which the king sends to nab him. The other folk tale was based on the story which has the king of a state longing to do something different. In his pursuit to do this, he ordered his subjects to work at night and sleep during the day. The best part of the show was the strength of its content. In fact as Munna Dhiman, who conducted the workshop informed, “At the end of every day we handed out a piece of writing to all participants. The earlier stage had us discussing the possible folk tales and their origin. Each participant developed his own script. The final production is a reflection of improvisations which have taken place during the past 30 days.”

The aim of the workshop is to allow free play to children. Today’s presentation will now be staged at various other schools. The Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, which has produced the play, will evolve theatre as an active medium of communication with school kids. “The idea is to tell a story and teach a lesson,” said Harleen Kohli, a member of the Akademi.

As for today’s production, it sent the schoolchildren into splits. They enjoyed every bit of the story which showed how a burglar uses his intelligence to engineer the death of the vacuous king and his foolish minister. The participants were Harleen, Sukhmani, Nivedita, Neerja, Anuradha, Neelu, Vidhvant, Anshuman,Vinay, Shaan, Abhiskeh, Vijay, Ravi, Neha, Divneet, Jasvinder, Harpreet, Angad, Pranay, Preeti, Ratika and Aarti.

The play will be staged at Tagore Theatre shortly.

YOUNG VOICE
Wedded to promotion of Indian culture

Gurdip Bhullar is driven by the zeal to fight social evils. His latest effort is ‘Kammo’, a 90-minute small-screen film on female foeticide.

This Indo-Canadian, based in Vancouver, is disappointed with the government, which has done nothing to acknowledge his effort. “I have been running from pillar to post to organise a show of my film, but to no avail”, says Gurdip. “Neither Doordarshan, nor any local theatre house is willing to screen my film,“ he adds.

Gurdip is committed to the promotion of Indian culture abroad. He feels Punjabi culture is totally at the mercy of big producers and directors sitting in Delhi and Mumbai. “Punjabi culture these days is what they think of it, rather than what it actually is,” says Gurdip.

This young man has not lost his zeal over such stumbling blocks. “I have conceived my next project on AIDS. To make it attractive for the audience, I am planning to treat this subject with a commercial angle,” he adds.

A singer and theatre artiste, Gurdip has performed as a playback singer for the Punjabi film ‘Pardesan’ besides acting in a number of plays. Hailing from Bathinda, he is also a national level hockey player

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Capturing grandeur of Indian landscape
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 11
For the 17th time in a row, Abhinav Nayyar is indulging himself in the blissful process called art. And as he experiments with the hues of nature in the backdrop of his own moods, he creates pictures which speak in a language louder than our own.

Now open for public view at Panjab University’s Fine Arts Museum is yet another exhibition by Abhinav who has displayed his works widely. The first thing that strikes the viewer about the ensemble is its random title. Called “Just Another Show”, the exhibition seeks to draw public attention not with the aid of the title but despite it. The artist allows the mind to have a free play, achieving harmony with nature which itself propagates freedom.

The photographs are all about the magic of moments and the grandeur of Indian landscape. Shot all over the country — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat and Chandigarh — the works possess the power to virtually transport you to the place of happening where you can be in the moment and still be out of it.

Each frame speaks in the language of harmony, so basic to nature. The photographs reflect both technique and freedom, finely blended. With an imagination quite in focus, the artist clicks upon pictures which express concrete impressions with immense beauty. His works prove “if the beauty was not within us, how would we ever recognise it.”

The exhibition can be viewed till December 15.