New Delhi: HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said on Friday that a University Grants Commission’s communication asking varsities to celebrate the anniversary of surgical strikes is “patriotism not politics”, and it is not compulsory for institutes to organise it. The HRD minister rejected the opposition criticism as “absolutely ridiculous and false”.
Several political parties including Trinamul Congress in West Bengal and the Congress joined to allege the move was part of BJP’s political agenda. Mr Javadekar said that the ruling BJP differed with the Congress as it only gave advise to institutes to follow a programme, while the Congress made its decisions compulsory to be followed when it was in power. An advisory not a direction has been issued to universities, he said. “Where is politics? This is not politics but patriotism,” he said, adding that students needed to be informed about the surgical strikes, military and civil works of soldiers.
He claimed that students and institutes had made suggestions that the second anniversary of surgical strikes, which the Army had carried across the border in Pak-occupied-Kashmir on September 29 in 2016, should be commemorated. Colleges have been asked to organise parades by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and lectures by ex-army officers.
Asked why it was not commemorated last year, he said a good suggestion can be executed anytime. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had on Thursday directed varsities and higher educational institutions across the country to observe September 29 as “Surgical Strike Day”.
The Centre said it is not compulsory for the universities and the higher educational institutions to celebrate the second anniversary of the surgical strikes.
Talk sessions by ex-servicemen about sacrifices by the armed forces, special parades by the National Cadet Corps(NCC) and visit to exhibitions are among the prescribed events by the University Grants Commission(UGC) for the celebration.
Meanwhile, West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee criticised the BJP-led central government for trying to “malign and politicise” the Army and said educational institutes will not abide by UGC’s directive. “The BJP is trying to push its agenda by using the UGC ahead of elections. It is a matter of shame that they are using the UGC to achieve their political agenda. We won’t abide by the directions of UGC,” Mr Chatterjee told reporters in Kolkata.
Mr Chatterjee further added that it was acceptable if the day was being observed as a day in the name of the sacrifices made by the soldiers. “We have full respect for our soldiers and their sacrifices,” he added
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal sarcastically asked whether the UGC would “dare” to celebrate November 8, the day when demonetisation was announced in 2016, as ‘Surgical Strike Day’.
The Indian Army has always been kept above politics and controversies. But now we are seeing that the BJP is trying to malign and politicise the Indian Army. This is not right and we won’t support it,” Chatterjee said.
“UGC directs VC’s of all universities to celebrate 29th September as Surgical Strike Day. Is this meant to educate or to serve BJP’s political ends?” Sibal tweeted.
“Will UGC dare celebrate 8th November as Surgical Strike Day depriving the poor of their livelihoods? This another jumla!” the former Union HRD minister said.
On September 29 in 2016, the Indian Army carried out “surgical strikes” on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control(LoC) as a response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. The Army had said its special forces inflicted “significant casualties” on terrorists waiting there to cross onto the Indian territory.
