CPI(M) CONDEMNS UGC DIRECTIVE ON CONSTITUTION DAY CELEBRATIONS

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday criticised a communication sent by University Grants Commission (UGC) to all governors, asking them to encourage higher education institutions in their respective states to organise lectures on the theme “India: The mother of democracy” on ‘Constitution Day’ on November 26.

The communication, sent on Thursday, also had a concept note prepared by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) that states: “there was no aristocracy in India like say in Greece. The Hindu state rarely presented that high degree of centralization associated with the Roman empire.”

The CPI(M) criticised the missive on Friday, saying it was “a negation of the reality of Varnashram and the caste-based social hierarchy that is a major challenge in the evolution of our modern democracy.” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar was negating constitutional requirements with the move. “This is in direct contravention of the framework of our Constitution, as well as, statutory provisions of the UGC Act..,” he said. Kumar did not respond to the allegations.