To this RSS minister, English makes perfect Parivar sense

On July 1, when school bells rang across the state to signal the beginning of a new academic year, English textbooks were being pulled out in Class I rooms. And, no one took to the streets in protest.

Says Tiwari: ‘‘I do belong to the RSS, but what has that got to do with anything? It has taken a lot of convincing to ensure that English makes it to Class I this session. I have managed to convince people that learning English doesn’t make a person less national, neither does it erode our culture.’’

Actually, Rajasthan’s education sector has received a tremendous push of late, with the new BJP-led government unveiling a series of measures (see box) to ensure total literacy in the 6-14 age group by 2010. Over 10,000 schools have been set up in the last six months, virtually one school within six kilometres of every child. And, to get more out of teachers, the government is raising the levels of accountability by basing transfers and promotions on performance. Recruits will also have to work for at least five years in village schools before they are declared permanent.

Yet, it was the English move that took the most out of Tiwari. From trotting out the example of his own children, who ‘‘studied abroad but are still aware of all Hindu rituals’’, to recalling Independence struggle, Tiwari admits he has used every possible line to make the Sangh see sense in English.

‘‘I tell them that great leaders like Veer Savarkar and Lokmanya Tilak, all spoke English and used it effectively to convey their point,’’ he says, smiling. ‘‘I also tell them that in an age where Class I students should be learning computers, we are still arguing over something as basic as English.’’

In villages, the Minister’s message was more earthy. ‘‘I tell village students that when they eventually get to a big city like Jaipur, girls will talk to them more if they can manage English. It will make them more confident. Moreover, they need it for all the competitive exams these days,’’ the Minister says. For the number-crunchers, he pulls out statistics on Europe’s work force requirement in 2025 and how India will be the biggest centre for manpower export. ‘‘It is often difficult to convince city people but when I talk about the need for English in villages, I draw the loudest applause,’’ he says.

Of course, there were a few murmurs of protest when the language was introduced from Class I, but things never got out of hand.

While critics accuse Tiwari of alienating children from their culture, Tiwari has firmly insisted that Sanskrit be taught in Sanskrit, and not Hindi. He has also introduced the controversial NCERT syllabus that his Sangh senior Murli Manohar Joshi had rolled out.

‘‘It was just a question of streamlining,’’ Tiwari says, defending his decision. ‘‘Moreover, we haven’t touched the controversial portions. All we have done is incorporate relevant portions pertaining to the State’s geography and history and adopted the basic structure. The changes and controversy will not affect our students at all.’’