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Following a row on University Grants Commission Surgical Strike Day circular released yesterday, the Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday squashed the opposition’s charge of politicising the valour of armed forces and said that the circular was only an advisory and not a directive. The minister also clarified that the UGC circular was not meant to force any university to follow the guidelines.
“We never mandate anything, we suggest and issue advisory. There is no politics, it is only patriotism,” Javadekar said. “On 29th September (anniversary of the surgical strike), we have asked colleges, those who want to, can arrange a lecture by ex-army officers who can tell the students how defence forces defend the country and how the surgical strike was conducted,” he said.
He further said that there are no compulsions on institutions or students. “We have issued a program because of suggestions from many students and teachers that they need to commemorate the second anniversary of surgical strike,” the minister added.
“It is absolutely shocking. In fact, I don’t think since independence, we have seen UGC giving any kind of directive of this nature to universities. For UGC, to give a directive is destroying the very independence of the university system,” Congress leader Kapil Sibal said.
The UGC direction to universities to mark September 29 as “Surgical Strike Day” is a part of the BJP’s “political agenda” and educational institutes in West Bengal will not observe the day, state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee
Earlier on Thursday, a UGC cirular asked students to observe Septemeber 29 as “Surgical Strike Day” and encourage students to pledge their support for the armed forces. It also directed NCC units of all varsities to hold a special parade to mark the day.
“The NCC units of all universities should organise a special parade on September 29 after which the NCC commander shall address them on the modalities of protection of the borders. The varsities may organise a talk-session calling ex-serviceman to sensitise students about sacrifices made by the armed forces,” the UGC said in a communication to all Vice Chancellors on Thursday.
