Feel of the ages

The decision of the NCERT to remove crucial chapters on the Mughal empire is a chaotic step. History chosen in bits is no history at all and can never develop sensibilities as a whole. Who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort? What were the battles of Panipat all about? Answers can be Googled, but the vistas of an age, the people, the socio-economic times, the journey of that India to this India will be missing. Textbooks are powerful tools. Any alterations should be carefully dealt with.

Advertisement

Navreet Kaur, by mail

Distorting the past

The NCERT move to delete chapters on the Mughals and Mahatma Gandhi is bound to lead to confusion and unnecessary gaps in Indian history. The hasty step reveals the shortsightedness on the part of the NCERT. The current curriculum has existed for half a century, but suddenly, the government has realised that it is not relevant. Strange! Let us not overlook the hard fact that ‘Medieval History of India’ comprises the Mughals, English and Hindu rulers. Removing any one will result in a muddle and misinterpretation of history. The NCERT should give a second thought to this half-cooked move and let students read undistorted history.

VK Anand, Chandigarh

Undoing history

Reference to ‘Curricula changes’; any alterations in the past truths, good or bad, are propagandist in nature and may have consequences. The future of the present generation largely depends on how keenly and objectively they learn about their past, past mistakes, failures, strengths, limitations, strategies or successes. Convenient interpretations of the past by any political dispensation for the sake of remaining in power is sheer politics. It will destroy our learning, lessons, culture, collective consciousness and traditions.

Abhimanyu Malik, Jind

Uncomfortable with truth

Apropos of ‘Curricula changes’; the BJP has shown its inclination towards censorship multiple times, but now, it has managed to dip its toes in the past as well. This will lead to generations that are ill-informed of their past. History should be taught without any political agenda. The arguments given for the deletions are untenable. It is but natural for the people of India to be deeply concerned at the textbook deletions, which suggest a lack of comfort with the truth.

RAMESH GUPTA, NARWANA

Support to media

Apropos of ‘State’s overreach’; the Supreme Court order will protect the media against arbitrary action and bar the use of undisclosed national security considerations as a pretext to shut down an outlet. The denial of security clearance to a media channel on the basis of views it was entitled to hold is a big blow on free speech and Press freedom. The SC has rightly found flaws in the approach of the Kerala HC, which had accepted material in a sealed cover on why the MHA denied clearance to the channel. A significant aspect of the judgment is that it seeks to end the casual resort to ‘sealed cover procedure’ by courts by suggesting an alternative approach to state claims of immunity from publication in public interest. The court could also appoint a friend of the court, who could be given access to the material whenever the state claims immunity from disclosure.

SANJAY CHOPRA, MOHALI

Wasteful expenditure

‘CM di Yogshala’ programme has been launched by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in Patiala. It is, no doubt, a good initiative and will benefit the people of the state. Punjab already has some trained yoga teachers and more are being recruited. However, a huge wasteful expenditure was incurred on posters regarding the programme. They were put on every streetlight pole and other places at an interval of 10-15 metres along all roads, and that too on both sides. The state is facing a financial crunch. Such kind of publicity was not needed.

OP GARG, PATIALA

Himachal land law

The Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Act is, indeed, a landmark legislation which will do justice with the daughters of the state. But religious outfits should not have been exempted from this Act. The government should also bring in a legislation through which bona-fide residents of Himachal should be allowed to purchase agricultural land. Nowhere in the country does such a law exist where bona-fide or landless residents are barred from purchasing farm land.

Joginder Pal Meelu, by mail

Letters to the Editor, typed in double space, should not exceed the 200-word limit. These should be cogently written and can be sent by e-mail to: Letters@tribunemail.com