[sacw] India: SABRANG ALERT September 26 2001

Harsh Kapoor aiindex@mnet.fr
Wed, 26 Sep 2001 16:24:44 +0100


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From: "sabrang" <sabrang@b...>

URGENT ATTENTION * ATTENTION * ATTENTION * ATTENTION *

SABRANG ALERT ***** ALERT***** SABRANG ALERT****** ALERT**** SABRANG
ALERT****

September 26 2001
Our Rights* *Human Rights * * Our Rights * *Human Rights * Our Rights *
Human Rights

Over the past one week, Shiv sena goons, with no respect for the law have
been terrorising Don Bosco School, Borvli, a prestigious institution
experimenting with enhanced alternative history healrning directed by KHOJ
dircetor, Teesta Setalvad. Worst still, the Mumbai police is acting in
collusion with the local uit of the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra state
government's education department investigating the school's efforts. We
wish to draw your attention to these intimidatory tactics and urge strong
protests with the Maharashtra CM, the Mumbai Police Commission, the
Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, the Maharashtra State Minorities
Commission and through LETTERS to the EDITOR of newspapers. For your
background we enclose a copy of the complaint filed by us to the MHRC and
MSMRC that give details of the issue. We also include a series of press
clips from the English newspapers for your reference.

Javed Anand Teesta Setalvad

ADDRESS YOUR PROTEST LETTERS TO
1. Sri Vilasrao Desmukh,
Maharashtra Chief Minister,
Mantralaya,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021

2. Sri M.N.Singh
Mumbai Police Commissioner
Police Headquarters
Crawford Market,
Mumbai 400002
Phone: 022-2620826
3. Justice P.N.Sawant
Chairman,
Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission
Mittal Towers, A Wing,
10th floor, Room No 104
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
4. Mr. Amin Khandwani
Chairman,
Maharashtra State Minorities Commission,
New Administrative Building, 3rd floor,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021

SABRANG BACKGROUNDER:

We, concerned human rights organisations and individuals working for
justice, wish to bring to your attention the rank intimidation used by a
senior officer of the Bombay police -Deputy Police Commissioner SS Khemkar,
against the Rector of the Don Bosco School, Borivli, Father Corlis on
September 19, 01 -a prestigious institution run by the minority
community --- when the local unit of the Shiv Sena threatened to disrupt the
peaceful proceedings of a school and held a morcha there on the morning of
september 19, 01. The issue in question was the introduction, on a trial
basis of a handbook on history for teachers. From the start the management
and author of the book was ready for dialogue and offered to refer the
'controversial chapter' to an expert committee. But the Shiv Sena, unused to
working in lawful means continued with the intimidation.
We approached the Commissioner of Police, Mr. M.N.Singh to ensure that the
school gets adequate protection and were stunned at the result. Instead of
protecting the school, the police decided to collude with the Shiv Sena, in
further intimidation of the Rector. Instead of assuring the school, its
management and the parents of complete protection against the aggressions of
an unlawful force like the Shiv Sena, the police in turn has been
threatening prosecution of the school under section 295-A of the IPC
(deliberate and malicious acts intending to outrage religious feelings of
any class by insulting it's religion or religious beliefs).
We enlose the said chapter of the handbook for your esteemed reference. It
is the greatness of Shivaji's achievements in the context of his caste
background (belonging to the Shudra -peasants caste) that are mentioned. It
is only small and narrow mindsets who themselves are victims of the
smallness of caste vision and division who may see anything written by the
author in the enclosed chapter as an insult.
We further wish to elaborate that the text has been written after checking
the authenticity of references.

We further reiterate that we d not live in a police state or a
pre-censorship society. If any agency, believing in lawful methods finds any
printed matter objectionable it is free to prosecute to forfeit the said
publication. Rank threats and intimidation are not allowed by Indian Law and
the Constitution.

1. The tone and tenor of the handbooks is engaging and creative. Nowhere is
it confrontationist or provocative. Shivaji's achievements explained and
narrated; the communal biases removed. The chapter needs to be read not by
independent minds.
2. Coming to the subject on hand, as a senior researcher in the field of
history, the author who is part of the organisations who are a signatory to
the complain would like you to know that the battleground of fanatical and
obsurantist forces in Maharashtra and the country has always really been in
the field of history, education and culture. To look at the past in a
scientific and factual way, untainted by myth and stereotype hurts these
forces the most. In Maharashtra, the figure of Shivaji has suffered the most
from this sort of a-historical valorization, becoming a handle for communal
stereotyping. A ruler from the Shudra castes, he rose to fame, glory and
popularity because he represented the toiling peasants, spoke for injustice
and battled caste barriers to rule the state. The story of his coronation,
recorded in minute detail in by historians and court judgements-- Privy
Council and High Court judgements, the Sabhasad Chronicles, the contemporary
sources of his rule-- is a sharp comment on the ingrained rigidities of the
Brahmanical clergy who could not (and cannot still!) accept that a man - not
born a Kshatriya or a Brahmin-could ever rule. These historical facts about
Shivaji have been elaborated by erstwhile and famous Maharashtrian authors
like Sethumadhav Pagadi, (Shivaji), Jayant Gadkari (Shivaji-Ek Loktantric
Raja), Govind Pansare (Shivaji Kon Hota?), Mama Deshmukh (ShivShahi) and
Sharad Patil (Stree Shudranchye Raja) and was simply being introduced by the
author of the text under discussion, into the classroom. To do simply this,
is to invite the wrath of undemocratic forces like the Shiv Sena who
believe only in intimidation and violence. To state the truth about this
caste background, to say he was a shudra angers the deep-rooted Brahmanical
bias that has influenced even the official writing of history. Is it because
this mindset cannot stomach a shudra ever ruling Maharashtra? Or is it
because they, not us see in the name shudra, something derogatory? Is that
not itself a reflection of deep rooted bias that in the twenty-first
century, we are unable to sensibly critique, dialogue and place history and
historical facts before the younger generation?
3. In this instance, the handbooks for teachers in question were the result
of a ten-month long collaboration with history teachers of different schools
and were informed by the analysis that existing textbooks in Maharashtra
have certain lacunae and been found wanting. We planned to experiment
through teachers (using the handbook) for a year, preparing worksheets with
the students and after absorbing the year-long experiment evolve it into a
draft text that we would apprise the Board with but publish as an
alternative anyway. We do not live in a pre-censorship, police society.

4. Institutions that are revered and regarded as highly prestigious for
all sections, classes and communities (as in this instance the Don Bosco
Schools undoubtedly are) are free to use their educational concerns to
evolve creative interventions in any subject including history. This was
meant to enhance and supplement the syllabus exploring the shadows and
silences that today, restrict, the discipline of history. Many ICSE and CBSE
schools devise and use their own syllabuses and sometimes, even texts in
different parts of the country. Education is on the concurrent list within
the Constitution. If central board schools can use methods to enhance the
syllabus with alternate creative content and techniques, why can't schools
under state governments do the same?
5. Or is the state using intimidation and that threat of de-recognition and
aid withdrawal for minority institutions alone? Are intimidatory morchas
ever taken to those schools run by the Saraswati Shishu Mandirs, Bal Shishu
Mandirs or the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrams-that is outfits supported by the RSS
or the VHP? The 'texts' used there are full of outright hatred. Is the state
government concerned about containing hatred and viterol, promoting rational
discourse, upholding the values contained in the 1986 Education Policy based
on the Indian Constituion or succumbing to those sections and forces
responsible for an erosion of such values??
6. History is not the private jagir of any section and certainly not of the
unlawful intimidators who, unfortunately succeeded on Wednesday-despite
brave efforts by the school management to resist the coercion-to threaten,
with violent means, and blatant connivance (through the threats of DCP
Khemkar) to temporarily refer the book to an Expert Committee. Each time
history is sort to be elevated out of the communal and personal plane, each
time organizations, schools try and do it, it is not the state but the Shiv
Sena and RSS-that have the state by it's neck who calls the shots. Who rules
in Maharashtra? A rich and abiding rationalist tradition or these rabid
unlawful elements?
7. An interesting question that we need to ask is who and what rule behind
the institutions of our state-in Maharashtra and the country. Do the values
ingrained in the Indian Constitution, weeded to social justice, equality and
parity matter or does an unlawful and rabid outfit control institutions of
the state through intimidation and terror? What the last two days have
proved once more in Mumbai is that both the local police and the state
education department dance to the tune of threatening and marauding Shiv
Sainiks capable of rank destruction (how could the two Catholic priests in
Don Bosco, Borivli not remember with dread what happened in Thane less than
a month ago when these unlawful characters were mutely allowed by the Thane
police to destroy a hospital and kill, indirectly, two patients including a
six month year old child or what happened to Father Oscar Mendoca in Thane a
few weeks prior to that?)

8. Lastly what is the state of our texts? Then chairman Maharashtra State
Textbook Bureau, Professor Arvind Deshpande in a formal interview taken in
February 1994 and published in March 1994 by the author of the handbook,
Teesta Setalvad was candid about the communal overtones and glorification of
violence. In that interview they elaborated how, when the text book bureau
tried to alter the texts in line with the 1986 policy they had to give in to
rabid hysteria. Professor Deshpande: "Now while looking at the Standard IV
history textbook,we found that 80 of these 96 pages dealt with Shivaji
alone. This left little room for any other element that we wanted to
introduce. In keeping with our objective of introducing a new value system,
in the revised draft we had to re-write portions of it, reduce the section
on Shivaji. Professor Bhosale also agreed. Paragraphs were change, some
re-drafted. Meanwhile, someone leaked information to the press. Even before
the re-drafted book was released or published, merely on surmises and guess
work we had to face a vicious media campaign led by Kesari. We were charge
with 'removing the inspiration part of history and making it insipid.' Until
then, we had only had dry reading of the book for three years with sixty
teachers two from each district in Maharashtra. During this no one seemed to
have any objections. But suddenly, after the vicious campaigns in the press
the same government that had entrusted with the task of 'jousting the
secular and humanist element in history' completely backed out. This was in
1991 when the Sudhakarrao Naik-led minority government was in power.
Defending our work, the state education minister on the floor of the house
said that we were only trying to de-individualise history, that all of
Indian history had been personality-oriented, that history should focus
attention on the social forces at work and not only on individual
personalities. But the chief minister succumbed and promised the agitated
legislators who cut across all party lines that not one word in 25-year-old
textbook would be changed. As the work that we had put in for the revised
draft is lost forever." (from Communalism Combat, March 1994)
9. Finally, what is the issue here? Shivaji's origins are traced
accurately. This has been part of substantive research here as also Privy
Council judgements. It is only a rigid hierarchic mindset that created the
iniquitous and cruel system of caste that can react, albeit violently. And
see the accurate description of Shivaji as part of the shudra (toiling
peasants caste) as an insult in itself. I should think it a matter of pride
that Shivaji's background and deprivations caused notwithstanding, he was
revered in the minds and hearts of people, that he was a just and
compassionate kind who worked for the oppressed sections, including women.
At his coronation despite all his greatness he was made to suffer
humiliations by the Brahmin hierarchy. Stating this is to expose the
convenient appropriation of Shivaji from the upper classes and caste and
place him with hallowed greatness where he belongs - a ruler of the toiling
masses.

10. By the way, what is shared in this handbook has been the subject matter
of research and writing by eminent historians and writers in Maharashtra.
Each time these works have been published, rabid elements have sought to
suppress them and impose a ban. We refer to the works of Sethu Madhavrao
Pagadi, Sharad Patil's work Stree Shudrancha Raja, Jayant Gadkari's work
Shivaji-Loktantric Raja, Govind Pansare-Shivaji kon Hota?, and Mama Deshmukh
's Shivshahi.
11. At different points of time, in different parts of the world,
throughout human civilization, rational discourse has been perceived as a
threat and sought to be intimidated into silence by obscurantist elements.
Can we allow it to happen in the twenty-first century?

Dolphy D'Souza,
National Secretary All India Catholic Union, Convenor Voice of The Exploited
(VOTE)
Telephone -8085468/8626525(residence) Office: 3723688/6155447
Javed Anand, Teesta Setalvad
Directors, Sabrang Communications
Willie Shirasat, HELP, Borivli
Sumedh Jadhav
People's Union for Human Rights and Manav Hakk Abhiyan
Telephone: 2821648

The Indian Express
26 september 2001
Academics argue on merits of alternative history

JAYSHREE BAJORIA
SEPTEMBER 25

Thomas Kuhn in his famous book, Structure of Scientific Revolution
wrote, " Unless you change your paradigms, alter your framework of enquiry,
raise new set of questions, there cannot be real breakthrough in knowledge."
Our own Mahatama agreed, "Healthy dissent is prelude to progress."

But the events at Don Bosco School in Borivali seem to negate these
theories. Alternative history as an effort to go beyond the textbook has
come under fire again with Shiv Sainiks forcing the school to withdraw the
handbook prescribed by the school for class vi where it was implied that
Shivaji belonged to the Shudra caste.

"What is sad is that an issue on caste is being raised about a man who
believed in equality and treated all his subjects without prejudice,"
remarks Professor JV Naik, for- mer Head of Department, History, Mumbai
University. "I believe history must be rewritten continually in order to
incorporate new material found after extensive research, to remove errors
that might have crept in. The keywords in history are to evolve, mature,
progress and change," he says.

Naik believes that textbooks should not be treated as sacred texts and
that new ideas must be incorporated and that new ideas must be incorporated
and the syllabus regularly updated. "Teachers must not rely on textbooks
only. They must refer to additional material and give a multi-dimensional
perspective to the students."

However, A R Kulkarni, former chairman, Indian Council of Historical
Research (ICHR) and professor at Pune University does not go along with the
theory that Shivaji was a Shudra and feels it is not correct to rake up the
issue at a time when we are trying to rid our society of thos unjust
practice. "History should play a positive role for students at the initial
stages of its study. Schoolchildren should not be exposed to anything that
has not been conclusively proven. History should be revived every time it is
rewritten, to bring new facts to life," he says. But he strongly condemns
recent efforts at saffronisation of education where texts in prescribed
books are altered to serve vested interests of certain religious groups.

Varsha Shirgaonkar, HOD of History. Ruia College, believes it is absolutely
essential to intorduce alternative patterns to history taught through
textbooks. "In fact, I give students different viewpoints. I don't believe
that the history syllabus in schools has been well -thought and this is the
reason children have an apathy towards the subject". She also believes that
"absolutely authenticated works only should be encouraged as reference to
students . Teachers should use a more practical and project based approach
for the purpose of teaching, try to go beyond theory. That opens up the mind
of the student."

To remember the dictum of H Belloc, "History should be judged from the
bench and not the Bar."

The Times Of India
22 september 2001
Interview By Rashmi Olivera (Bombay times)
A thin history handbook, prepared as part of secular education programme by
NGO Khoj, has raked up a huge controversy. Shiv Sena members staged protests
outside Don Bosco High School in Borivali for being part of the project.
They allege that the book distorts certain facts about Shivaji. However,
Khoj's patron and Editor of Communalism Combat, Teesta Setalvad, has a
different story to tell. Roshni Olivera spoke to both sides

'We will not allow such studies to circulate in any school'
Vijay Daruwale,
Corporator, R-Central ward

Can't an NGO or any group attempt to do some research on history ?
Yes, but they can't teach students such about anything. Who are they to
implement history teachings in a school. It has to be permissible by the
state government or the centre.
I agree we can't interfere in a school administration, but we can
definitely stop the NGO from imparting distorted teachings to children.

Khoj insists that their research is correct. What is your view on their
claim?
I their study, they are negating Shivaji's good work and making Afzalkhan
out to be a great man. How can they call Shivaji Maharaj a shudra when he
was a kshatriya. We have proof to point out that it is all wrong. Such
'research' is dangerous to society.

What do you plan next?
The fact is that people are very sensitive about anything pertaining to
Shivaji Maharaj. We will not allow such studies to circulate in any school.
I suspect this is some kind of slow-poison to brainwash students. We will
put a stop to that.

Shiv Sena members insist that the hand-book should not have been used for
teaching purposes?
We were planing to use it in the school on an experimental basis through
work sheets for a year, before it was converted into a textbook. Any school
can experiment with alternative methodology upto standard eight. In fact
each time the official textbook bureau has tried to improve the text book in
line with the 1986 education policy, they have been prevented from doing so
by rabid intervention.

On what basis does the hand book term Shivaji a shudra, considering history
has always referred to him as kshatriya?
What is shared in the hand book is a matter of research and writing by
eminent historians and writers in Maharashtra. Each time these works have
been published rabid elements have sought to suppress them and impose a ban.
The deep impact of the caste system is felt even today.

What do you plan to do next?
The school being a minority institution is being terrorised with no support
from the police and state government. We can understand their fear. Human
rights organisations and minority rights organisation will take up the issue
with the state, national human rights commission and the minority rights
commission.

The Times Of India
20 september 2001
Protest forces school to withdraw book
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
MUMBAI: Don Bosco school at Borivli (W) has withdrawn its controversial
history handbook for teachers after the Shiv Sena objected to certain
portions dealing with Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The Sena had threatened to hold a demonstration outside the school on
Wednesday morning but called it off at the last minute after the school's
principal, Fr Bonny Borges, informed it that he was withdrawing the book.

In a note to Vinod Ghosalkar, Sena vibhag pramukh in Borivli, the principal
apologised for any "inadvertent hurt caused to any community because of the
book." The school had no intention to hurt the sentiments of any community,
the note said, adding, "We are withdrawing the book from use in our school
with immediate effect and the matter which was objected to will be studied
by a committee of experts in the field of education.

The Sena had objected to the depiction of the famed king in the handbook as
a ruler from the "shudra caste who represented the "toiling peasants". In
protest, Sena activists, along with a handful of parents, assembled early in
the morning outside the school, only to be told later that the school had
withdrawn the book.

"The school should not be handing out any material to parents or students
which is not approved by the state government," Mr Ghosalkar told this
newspaper. Local corporator from Borivli (E), Sanjiv Bawdekar, also berated
the contents in the book, saying it would create confusion in the minds of
students.

School authorities, however, say the Std VI teachers' handbook had been
prepared as part of a secular education programme organised by an NGO, Khoj,
with Communalism Combat editors Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand spearheading
the move.

According to Ms Setalvad, the handbook had been prepared in tandem with Don
Bosco teachers over a period of 10 months, and was meant to enhance history
teaching. In an experimental move, Don Bosco schools in the city had
introduced the handbook, copies of which was circulated to parents as well.

"The handbook was an attempt to put history in the right perspective," said
Father Corlis Gonsalves, manager of Don Bosco at Borivli. "There were some
protests from parents about the methodology used, but none about its content
till the Sena came up with its objection," he added.

Justifying the contents of the book, Ms Setalvad said the facts mentioned in
the book about Shivaji had been ``elaborated by famous authors like Jayant
Gadkari, Govind Pansare and Mamaji Deshmukh and was now being introduced for
discussion in the classroom.

After the Sena gathering had dispersed, Fr Gonsalves, on Wednesday said the
school had been permitted by the state education department to experiment
with additional educational content up to the eighth standard. He said the
book was introduced this August as a supplementary reference material.
Shaken a little by the Sena outburst, he, however, said the school would not
buckle under pressure tactics and said the objectionable portions of the
book would be studied by an expert committee.

Fr Gonsalves informed that he had invited the Sena as well as the police for
a dialogue on Tuesday, where the Sainiks "submitted written objections to
the book". However, he alleged that local deputy police commissioner S S
Khemkar used "intimidatory tactics by saying the school should reconsider
its stand or else it would "almost amount to causing disruption of communal
harmony". When contacted, the DCP refused to comment after stating that he
did not know anything about the matter. He further added that he would not
discuss the matter "over the phone".

The Hindustan Times
22 september 2001
Sena ruffled by book describing Shivaji as Sudra
Farida Shaikh
(Mumbai, September 23)

Does Shivaji's caste matter? To the Shiv Sena it certainly does. The Sena's
sensibilities have been hurt by a Class VI handbook in Mumbai's Don Bosco
School which describes the warrior king as a Sudra.
The bone of contention is a handbook for teachers authored by human rights
activist and joint editor of Communalism Combat, Teesta Setalvad. The book
traces the rise of Shivaji from humble beginnings to fame and glory, and
praises him for representing the toiling peasants and battling caste
barriers.
However, the word Sudra did not go down too well with some parents who
approached the local Shiv Sena unit.
The school authorities say that they have been asked to withdraw the book.
They are planning to take up the issue with human rights bodies.

The Midday
20 september 2001
Sainiks angry over book on 'shudra' Shivaji

HISTORY handbooks authored by Communalism Combat editor Teesta Setalvad,
which show Chhatrapati Shivaji as a shudra, have been temporarily withdrawn
by Don Bosco School, Borivali, following a morcha by the local Shiv Sena
unit.

Shiv Sainiks led a morcha yesterday morning to the school protesting the use
of the handbooks which had been given to students from classes III to VII to
enhance history textbooks prescribed by the state government.

Setalvad insists that the handbooks were meant for teachers who would then
work on projects with students. Parents complain that the books were sold to
students for Rs 55 as textbooks and not as handbooks.

The book talks about Shivaji being born a shudra and his rise to fame, glory
and popularity because he represented the toiling peasants, spoke for
injustice and battled caste barriers.

Sainiks at the morcha said that the book had hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
Said a Sainik, "The state government book on Shivaji is apt. There is no
need for anyone to further change history. It is not important as to whether
he was a 'shudra' or 'kshatriya' or a 'brahmin'. The fact that he
successfully ruled Maharashtra is what matters."

Setalvad said, "I have not tampered with history as far as Shivaji is
concerned. I have simply brought into the teaching of history lesser known
and conveniently hidden facts about Shivaji." She said she had not tried to
change the syllabus prescribed by the state government and had only made an
attempt to enhance history. "To state the truth about his caste, to say he
was a shudra angers the deep-rooted brahmanical bias. It is difficult to
understand," she said.

Parents are also upset with the sudden introduction of the books without
consulting them. "They were given to us as textbooks. And now they say it is
meant only for teachers," said a parent.

Father Bonny Borges of Don Bosco School said that the idea of introducing
the handbook was to provide progressive information about history.

"Though the book was meant for teachers, it was given to students to enable
them to work on projects," he said.

The Afternoon
20 september 2001

TEESTA SETALVAD,
Editor, 'Communalism Combat'
On the furore about certain facts on Shivaji published in a teacher's
history handbook
What did you base your re-search about Chhatrapati Shivaji on?
Our research is similar to the research that has been the subject matter of
research and writings by eminent historians and writers like Sharad Patil,
Govind Pasare, Sethu Pagadi etc. I did not do this as an individual. After
ten month's research, collaborating with history teachers of various
schools, did the matter get published in the book.
Why was this research done?
According to our study, existing history textbooks in the state had certain
lacunae about certain facts. We planned to experiment through teachers for a
year, using the book, preparing worksheets with the students. This was meant
to enhance and supplement the syllabus, exploring the shadows and silences
that today restrict the discipline of history.
What do you think are the implications of select educa-tion?
Each time history is elevated out of the communal and personal plane, it's
organisations like the Shiv Sena and the RSS that hold the state by its
neck -- call the shots. Who runs the state? The situation has revealed that
the police and the education department dance to the tune of certain vested
interests. We do not live in a pre-censorship, police society. The state is
succumbing to the forces that erode values.
Does any authority have the right to manipulate what our children study
today?
Education is not the private jagir of any section of society. Especially,
not of unlawful inti-midators who resort to violence in the name of
main-taining sanctity. The central board uses methods to enhance the
sylla-bus, why can't state government run schools do the same?
Something similar hap-pened earlier as well, right?
Yes. The then chairman of the Maharashtra Textbook Bureau, Prof. Arvind
Deshpande told me in 1994 that, in 1991 they could not include additional
matter in history textbooks because 80 out of 96 pages dealt with Shivaji
only. This was part of government policy.
- ANIL SADARANGANI