German language row: Smriti Irani justifies move, cites Constitution

“Now, there will be many more things (apart from Sanskrit) made compulsory. This is the language of our country. Everything was written in Sanskrit thousands of years ago. If you want to eliminate it, it means you want to eliminate this country,” Singhal said on the sidelines of World Hindu Congress.

Irani, who addressed the Educational Conference held as a part of the event, maintained that German cannot be taught in schools as a third language. Pointing out that the Eighth Schedule of Indian Constitution recognises 23 Indian languages which can be taught as a third language in schools, Irani said: “The schools were teaching German as the third language which was in violation of the Constitution… We or the Ministry or KVs could not have renewed the contract…I have taken oath under Indian Constitution and I will abide by it.”

An MoU was signed between Kendriya Vidyalayas and Goethe Institute-Max Mueller Bhawan in 2011 to offer German as the third language.

She questioned the timing of the controversy saying it was created “deliberately.”

The Minister added that as far as the affected students are concerned, KVs have started providing them counselling.

“Students have the option of picking any Indian language as the third language instead of Sanskrit. If a student wishes to take Tamil as the third language, we will ensure a Tamil teacher is provided,” she said.

Congress: Ruler’s real face has been revealed by backseat drivers

Hours after the VHP claimed that “proud Hindus” have come to rule Delhi after 800 years and demanded that Sanskrit be made compulsory in schools, the Congress Friday said the ruler’s real face has been revealed by the “backseat drivers”. “This is not good for the country… The person who has come to power showing a different face…his real face has been revealed by the backseat drivers,” Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohli said. “I want to ask who was Narasimha Rao or Atal Bihari Vajpayee or H D Deve Gowda. Their (Sangh Parivar’s) definition (of Hindus) is different. Secularism is enshrined in our Constitution. The Constitution treats everyone as equal. Communal politics is against the nation. Religious and caste politics are not good for the country,” he said. “We are for Sanskrit” but “we will have to move with the times,” Gohil said.    ens