Government schools functioning without building, basic facilities show lack of focus on education in India

The government schools cater to majority of children in the country.

But there is little focus on the infrastructure at these schools.

The photograph on the left shows a school in Dindori in Madhya Pradesh.

It shows how classes in this school are held in the open, under the tree shade.

For the last couple of years, the school has been functioning in the open. If there is rain, obviously, classes are suspended.

The local officials say that funds have been sanctioned to build rooms for the school, but the building is yet to be built.

The school earlier functioned from a dilapidated structure. The condition of the structure was so bad, that there was no option but to bring the kids out. Since then, the situation hasn't changed. Children hope that one day they would be able to study in proper rooms.

Government withdrawing from education, health sectors and its impact on society

But this is just an example. Centre and state governments have little focus towards maintaining infrastructure in government schools. Just like hospitals [health], this sector [education] too shows official apathy.


The middle-class [which is vocal] in cities stopped going to government hospitals, and over the years the condition of sarkari hospitals deteriorated. Private hospitals stepped in and the result is that cost of treatment has gone up steeply, and the sufferer is the common man.

Similarly, in the education sector, many people in urban area stopped sending their kids to government schools. But the onus is on government to ensure that its schools that have nominal fee and that cater to poor and under-privileged are run properly.

Poor infrastructure in government schools


The schools that have buildings don't have other facilities. Even in cities, government schools often don't have fans or drinking water. It is common to find that electricity connection is cut because no one bothers to pay the power bill.

In small towns and rural areas, the situation is plain bad. The truth is that a vast majority of Indians, can't afford the fees of private schools. One or two teachers conduct all the classes and teach students together.

The cadre of 'Shiksha Karmis' in MP [education workers, not teachers] has worsened the situation. Their salary structure is so bad that it can hardly inspire a person to take the job. The government came up with this new cadre, so that it didn't have to pay the salary to teachers, which is obviously much higher.

These shikshakarmis get barely Rs 3,000-5,000 per month. Clearly, there is no intention on part of government to improve the state of school education. It is the same situation everywhere. The governments pay little attention to ensure that the 'sarkari schools' are improved and are run efficiently.

[Photo courtesy: Patrika, Hindi newspaper]
  

Irony for Israel: When the world calls Israel a 'Nazi state', Jews also oppose its atrocities on Palestinians

Would Jews who suffered enormously in holocaust could have imagined that their State would one day kill innocent children, almost the same way, as the Nazis did in Hitler's Germany?

And that many would term Israel as Nazi state! Further, the state of Israel would defend itself despite the wanton killings, refuse to accept the truth, disregard international opinion, and remain adamant, just like the perpetrators of Holocaust, seven decades ago.

What is happening today in Gaza [Palestine] is a tragedy. And how, the country [homeland] of the most persecuted group of people on earth, gets involved in such massacres, is equally a tragedy for mankind.

Across, the world, organisations, leaders, individuals of standing, are equating Israel's brutal killings of children, women and elderly, with Nazi Germany.

Even more, the Jews themselves, are saying it. Gaza is a virtual prison and is termed as 'concentration camp'. In America and several other countries, Jews are opposing Zionism and the policies of Israel. There are Jews protesting against the bloodbath in Gaza, and raising banners, saying that they are opposed to Israel's aggression.

How world sees Israel, which isolates itself, refuses to learn from its own experiences

African National Congress (ANC), the ruling party in South Africa, has termed Israeli military operation in Gaza strip, with the Nazi war against Jews.

ANC condemned the action as 'barbaric attacks' and that 'Israel has turned occupied territories into permanent death camps.

See the link comparing Israel's offensive to atrocities by Nazis, at this link, HERE

Many countries in Middle East, Asia and other parts of the world apart from Human Rights group have made similar comparison.

But what should serve as a wakeup call for the state of Israel is that even Jews are openly speaking up against the country's acts against civilian population in Gaza. TV star Roseanne Bar, who has Jewish ancestry, said that Israel was acting like Nazis.

She wrote this on her blog when there was similar attack on Gaza, last time. The comments drew strong reactions. She had written, "Israel is a NAZI state. The Jewish soul is being tortured in Israel". Read about it HERE.

Then, musician Roger Waters [who was earlier with Pink Floyd] made a similar assertion.

He compared modern state of Israel with Nazi Germany. The veteran rock star's comments had angered Zionists and pro-Israel lobby.

But he said that it was not anti-semitism. The report is HERE.

Brett Wilkins, in Digital Journal, wrote the article under the headline, 'Israel is much closer to Nazi Germany than Iran is'. [LINK].

The Committee for Remembrance Education, [Belgium], equates treatment of Palestinian Arabs by Israelis today with the treatment of Jews by Nazis in the 40s. See an earlier part to this article below:


MUST-READ
Jews suffered holocaust, now inflict it on Palestinians

Read to find out the historical issue, the problem of Palestine, how Europe persecuted Jews and later shifted the problem to Middle East, the sufferings of Jews, the manner in which Muslims saved persecuted Jews, and then the modern era--the Israel-Palestine conflict. READ IT HERE

Muslim legislator's bill for ban on trade of cow bones and fat defeated by BJP in MP Assembly

It was a major embarassment for the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh Assembly. The lone Muslim legislator, Arif Aqueel, came up with a private bill for ban on trade of bones and fat of the cows.

This was not the first time when Aqueel has brought up the issue, as he has consistently spoken about condition of old cows and need for protection of cows, which is considered sacred in India.

Aqueel said that while cow is termed as 'gau mata' and given status of mother, old cows are left to die. Those involved in trade of bones and fat of cow, kill the bovines. He said that the trade should be banned and there must be proper system in place to hold last rites of cows on government expense.

While minister for Animal Husbandry Kusum Mehdale praised Aqueel and even suggested giving him an award for his concern, she refused to take any action in this regard. The speaker suggested that the bill could later be introduced, after there is talk with religious gurus.

But Aqueel didn't back down. He kept raising the issue in the house. The MLA who represents Bhopal North Assembly seat and has won five times from the constituency since 1989, said that BJP is expected to ban the trade.

Muslim MLA speaks for cow conservation, BJP opposes it!

"You have won because on your plank that you would work for conservaton of cow", he said.

The BJP legislators created uproar but Aqueel remained defiant and stood his ground.

Finally, the speaker decided to take voice vote. The BJP being majority in the house, the bill was defeated by 55 to 31 votes.

Interestingly, most newspapers didn't report this debate in the Vidhan Sabha, properly though two newspapers carried it in their online editions. Read the report in Hindi newspapers and a brief report in the Agency below.

1. Government in a fix over Aqueel's private bill seeking ban on trade of cow fat, bones
2. Govt didn't accept proposal for last rites of cows
3. Agency report on the same issue

Role of Islamic clergy: Ulema's rejection of Western world reason behind decline of Muslims?

Zafar Agha is a senior journalist and well-known columnist. In this article, he questions the role of Ulema who opposed the Western culture and rejected the Maghribi dunia*. 

This, he says, is among the reasons behind the decline of Muslims. Either you agree or disagree, do share your thoughts on this article and post them in the comments section below.

By Zafar Agha

There was an era when Muslims held sway over vast regions in the world. Whether you recall the Khalifas at Baghdad, the Mughal emperors at Delhi or the rulers in Constantinople, the Muslim states were superpowers of the period. [Not just art and culture, Muslim world was far ahead in science and technology too]

But, once the renaissance took place in Europe, and the West made giant strides, the Muslim world retreated. The situation hasn't improved since then. In India, even today, Muslims are in a state of defeat and suffer from victimhood.

I often point out the reason behind this colossal failure of the Muslims. The reason is that when Muslims lost their status to the Western civilsation, the Ulema considered it as extension of the conflict from the era of Crusades.

As a result, the loss was termed as a civilizational clash and the entire Western world was rejected. Hence, Muslim world also rejected the industrial culture which had given the Western world a new push, not just in terms of democratic societies but also scientific and technological momentum.

This revolution led to major progress in the Western countries. In the light of these developments, it is pertinent to ask whether a clash between a religion and a particular culture is possible? Of course, there can't be a clash between these two.

Feudal values overtook Islamic values

Islam had brought a radical change in the life of humanity. It brought equality among mankind, ended racism or the difference between black and white, gave rights to women that were unimaginable in that era and even till the modern era.

There was freedom in religion and there was no institutionalised clergy one was bound to. This was the reason that within a century, the message of Islam spread far and wide. Muslims were empowered and prosperous. Islam spread across the world, and Muslim nations became major superpowers.

But what happened in later centuries? In Baghdad and later in Constantinople, the Caliphs became Kings. The feudal system came in place. Kings became 'shadow of God on earth'. The changes were not in sync with Islamic teachings.

Rights of Muslim women curtailed

The rights of women were curtailed steadily. Hejab turned into the Burqa. Because of increasing feudalistic mindset, women were restricted to households. While the Prophet's wife Khadija was a business woman, today if a woman gets into business, it is not seen approvingly in our society.

Muslim women aren't encouraged to go for jobs compared to the men. While Islam gave the right to walk out of marriage to woman, more than 1400 years ago [khula allows woman to get out of wedlock], today Muslims in India are prepared to go to streets to fight for the 'right' to have verbal triple talaq.

The society that had emerged among Muslims after the advent of Islam, was thus transformed into a feudalistic society once again. It has more of 'Shahi-Zamindarana aqdaar' or royal-feudalistic values, which have nothing to do with the ideal Islamic values.

No 'Clash of Civilizations' between Muslim world, West

In many Muslim countries, there is dictatorship and the feudal values are propagated. On the other hand, the religious groups that seize power also have similar ideas. They restrain women from even getting education, let alone participate in other fields.

The Taliban are just one of these groups. The truth is that Muslims' beliefs have no conflict with Industrial culture of Western civilisation. These are remains of the Muslim feudalistic culture, which consider West as Crusading Force, and to uphold their feudal culture, keep pushing Muslims towards backwardness.

This is also a harsh truth that many of the flag-bearers of this 'Muslim' feudal culture and this mindset are the Ulema. Hence, it is not Western world with which we have conflict. We need to oppose and get rid of those who intend to keep Muslims stuck to the regressive and anti-West mindset.

[This is a short translation of Zafar Agha's article 'Muslim Ulama, zamindarana Muslim tehzib ke alambardar' or 'The Muslim Ulama, flag-bearers of feudal Muslim culture. It was originally published in Sahafat, the Urdu daily newspaper]
[*Maghribi dunia=Western World]

Schoolgirl writes to Chief Minister, gets road constructed to the village

Maimoona Khan, 14, who studies in ninth standard, lives in Narsinghpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

Like other children Maimoona suffered for years due to the lack of proper road connectivity to her school in Naktua, a village, which is quite far from her settlement, in the district.

For residents of Nakuta too, it was a major issue. For sick and elderly, it was even more difficult. Narsinghpur, the town and the district headquarters, wasn't too far, yet all pleas to get a road constructed, fell on deaf years of the officials.

One day, the girl decided to take a step herself. She wrote a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who terms himself as 'mama' [uncle] of children, especially, girls. The first letter elicited no response. But she wasn't disappointed and wrote another letter.

Yet again there wasn't any answer. However, Maimoona wrote the third letter. The schoolgirl's constant communication was finally taken seriously. The officials were directed to take immediate action. Plan was made and under a development scheme, funds were sanctioned.

Soon the construction material came and the work began. The road was laid down. The 'bhanji' (niece) was delighted. The villagers were surprised, as the efforts of the politically connected persons, had failed to get the road constructed.

The approach road was laid and connected to the bypass. Everybody including the village Sarpanch praise her for her determination and her idea to write directly to CM.

Maimoona belongs to an ordinary Muslim family. She had asked her father before writing the letter. Her father Mohammad Husain Pathan owns a tailoring shop.

But that's how ordinary people dream big and ultimately get close to their goals. The key is to be positive, work for change and take proactive action. 

Things may move slowly, but they do move, if you are persistent. Maimoona is a bright girl, who is good in studies, and wants to get into administrative services, so that she can also help needy people and ensure development. [Second photo shows Maimoona standing on the newly constructed road]

(This news was published in Hindi newspapers in Narsinghpur-Jabalpur and in local editions of other Hindi-English papers of MP later)