The recent CAG report highlighted the unaccounted spending by several union ministries which reportedly amounted to a staggering halflakh crores of public money. The protocol for ministry spending mandates issuance of utilisation certificates for every spending, however, it was not furnished by the ministries concerned.
What is distressing is that despite the CAG report being tabled in Parliament, barring a few ministries, others did not even respond to the irregularities. The Modi government has, on numerous times, boasted of being transparent and having zero tolerance for corruption, however, these actions are the opposite. Time the BJP-led government practises what it preaches.
Anwar Farooq
Bengaluru, Karnataka
‘One Nation, One Election’
A few years ago, the BJP’sslogan was ‘One Nation, OneElection’. However, the Maharashtra government hasnow made knowledge of theMarathi language mandatoryfor all taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, while Tamil Nadu government has directed thatall official government functions should begin with the ‘TamilThai Vazhthu’ song. But the Union Government has passed the bill making ‘Vandematram’ compulsory to begin with all official functions.
What kind of India is this?It seems that the RSS dream of a truly united India may never be fulfilled.
Chowdhry Nisar Ahmed
Ambur
Education Reforms in Schools
Education reforms must begin at the school level, where the foundations of a child’s learning and personality are actually laid. While all the talk about technology, exam secrecy and who the minister is, etc., is fine; little attention is paid to the basic infrastructure and quality of teaching in many schools.
How clean are the classrooms? Are the buildings safe? Do children have enough space and time to play games? Are there enough libraries and laboratories in schools? So many such questions are neither asked, even if they are, they are rarely discussed or problems addressed. If governments are serious about Gen Z and education reform, they must first strengthen schools and empower teachers.
Madhuri V
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Heartfelt Thanks to My Dear Sikh Brethren
Recently I read an article titled “Gurugram’s surrender to majoritarian politics” by Mr.Harsh Mander, an I.A.S. & visiting faculty in the South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University.
Muslims were prevented by Hindutva groups from offering Friday mass prayers in Gurugram District. Gurgaon was renamed Gurugram in 2016 in Haryana State.The learned bureaucrat-turned-activist has written in the said article under the sub-title “Some Rays of Light” which I would like to share with the readers of Radiance.
Mr. Harsh Mander writes, “In this gathering darkness of prejudice, some rays of light did penetrate in 2018. A small businessman Akshay Yadav opened his shop floor to the Muslims for the Friday prayers. Five Sikh gurudwaras in Gurugram took the brave decision amid the hate mongering of 2018 to open their Gurudwaras for the Friday prayers of their Muslim brothers.
“Six Muslim leaders led by former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb visited the gurudwara to express their immense appreciation of the gesture by the Sikhs, and were felicitated with orange scarves. Daya Singh, the spokesperson of the gurudwara committee, spoke of the importance of communal harmony.
“This initiative by Sikh leaders however ignited vociferous opposition from the Hindutva groups. Some of their activists distributed to the Sikh devotees copies of a book about the ninth Sikh guru,Guru Tegh Bahadur, who was beheaded in 1675 by the Mughals.
“The Sikh leaders held their ground. But before the next Friday when prayers were first scheduled, the Muslims decided to not use the gurudwara premises for their Friday prayers. They did this to protect them from possible violence from the Hindutva group members.
“Let me conclude by quoting “One Muslim leader: who said that a million Muslims would offer namaz in the hearts of their Sikh brothers in gratitude for their gesture of solidarity.” (Countercurrents)
I express my heartfelt thanks from the bottom of my heart to my Sikh brethren for allowing Muslims to use their places for Friday mass prayers in spite of provocation and threats from hatemongers.May your tribe grow.
Farooq AbdulgafarBawani
Rajkot, Gujarat, India