What did not happen even after the demise of USSR nad what United States of America and International anti Communist Movement could not do, is happening in Bengal after PORIBORTAN. Mamata Banerjee's effort to cut Marx down to size is bang on.Texts are to be rewritten to paper over the roles of Marx, Engels and the Bolsheviks and highlight modern democratic movements, according to the recommendation of a syllabus reform committee. The great indian commmunist Movement still having dominance in trade Union Movement is so much so marginalised that it dare NOT Resist, I am afraid.
Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - Eight HUNDRED Twenty FIVE
Palash Biswas
http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/
http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/
What did not happen even after the demise of USSR nad what United States of America and International anti Communist Movement could not do, is happening in Bengal after PORIBORTAN. Mamata Banerjee's effort to cut Marx down to size is bang on.Texts are to be rewritten to paper over the roles of Marx, Engels and the Bolsheviks and highlight modern democratic movements, according to the recommendation of a syllabus reform committee. The great indian commmunist Movement still having dominance in trade Union Movement is so much so marginalised that it dare NOT Resist, I am afraid.The West Bengal government has now decided to overhaul the history syllabus radically. Not satisfied with bringing to a close more than three decade Left rule in West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee would now like to obliterate Marx from history textbooks.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress government intends to replace references to Marx, Engels and Bolshevik that were current in the CPM-ruled phase, with references now to globalisation, women's movement and Nelson Mandela.Mamata Banerjee wants to remove all traces of the Left Front government from West Bengal. After uprooting the Left Front government from West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee now seems hell-bent on removing all traces of it from the state.Mamata Bannerjee did promote Bengali Icons and renamed Railway and metro stations while she was the Railway Minister of India. Getting the helms in writers Building, she ordered to play Rabindra sangeet at every Crossing. Mind you, i had warned that she would wipe out the Marxist Ideology. But it seems taht the Left has underestimated Mamat as it has been doing all the way. Mamat is so much so dare devil these days that she banned the Most Powerful Media House which had been playing the role of Policy Maker in bengal since Independence! She has gained so much so that she would never care to lose anything and playing very aggresive. The Intelligentsia which played agreat role along with the media to uproot the Marxists, has NO laternative but to support her s most of them are on Pay Roll!
In a move certain to raise the hackles of academicians as well as the Left, the Mamata Banerjee government has decided to restructure the history curriculum in the state's schools by removing all reference to Marx and Engels, the founders of Communism, as well as Russia's 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, from the textbooks.Instead, the focus will be on non-political history, like women's history and the history of sports. This has been suggested by the Trinamool Congress government's school education syllabus committee, which had been asked to suggest ways to modernise the syllabus and lessen the burden of unnecessary topics.The committee has also recommended that instead of Karl Marx and the truly epochal Russian revolution, higher secondary students in government schools should read about the historical background of Latin America, anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela and the Chinese revolution.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) expressed shock at Banerjee's decision. Veteran leader Somnath Chatterjee slammed the West Bengal government, saying that "Mamata's move will keep students aloof from one of the finest ideologies."
Defending the state government, Trinamool MP Dereck O'Brien also made it clear that the government was not trying to doctor history, "Marx, I believe, should be studied as a historical phenomenon, but not at the expense of the Mahatma, and not at the expense of Mandela ... Bengal is redressing balance, not doctoring history. History doesn't begin with the Bolsheviks and end with the Basus and Bhattacharyas. History preceded them and will survive them," O'Brien said.
This is the second controversial move by Banerjee regarding dissemination of information. Recently, it had banned certain English newspapers from state libraries.
"It is a complete misconception that we are doing away with Marxist movements or communism from history. In the present syllabus, a student might feel that there are only three countries in the world – India, England and Soviet Russia but a student needs to get exposed to the latest trends of the world and the history naturally," said committee chairman Avik Majumdar.
"So to make the syllabus more dynamic and realistic, we have only suggested to include democratic movements, invasions by various explorers and the 20th century history. While elaborating on the theme, we have brought in Latin America, China as well as various movements in India. Also, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been included keeping in mind their significance in the post 1947 era," Majumdar said.
Claiming that the syllabus during the Left regime was partial, Majumdar said "the syllabus should not be used as a tool to brainwash the student."
The CPM was also critical about the change and according to one of their top leaders "The new government is trying to wipe away everything of the Left regime and to change the syllabus is such an unrealistic manner is also an example of that."
Claiming that Marx and Engels are not "great" characters in history, Majumdar said: "We have omitted Russian revolution, but kept Lenin and the Chinese revolution in the syllabus. If we had any intention to leave out communism, then why did we include Chinese revolution, Lenin? It is unfair if the children are only taught about these theories and they do not have any understanding of the Green Revolution, Chipko movement or Nelson Mandela."
The new recommendations also suggest that the students of the state board may get an exposure to the literary genius of stalwarts who have introduced Indian writings to the West. Works of Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mulk Raj Anand, Vikram Seth, R K Narayan, Anita Desai, Upamanyu Chatterjee and Arundhuti Roy are all set to be part of the English syllabus for classes XI and XII.
Educationist Pabitra Sarkar was critical about the changes. He told Deccan Herald, "I don't know what makes someone 'great' but this kind of an approach is absolutely foolish."
Mamata Banerjee is now taking 'poribartan' to Bengal's school history syllabus, by advocating that communism be erased from textbooks. Texts are to be rewritten to paper over the roles of Marx, Engels and the Bolsheviks and highlight modern democratic movements, according to the recommendation of a syllabus reform committee. times of India reports.
The Left protested the move, but officials insisted it had nothing to do with politics and aimed to correct the "lopsided" syllabus followed during the Left rule. "It is a complete misconception that we are doing away with Marxist movements or communism from history. We have only suggested including democratic movements, invasions by various explorers and 20th century history," syllabus reform committee chairman Avik Mazumdar said on Thursday. "We have brought in Latin America, China as well as various movements in India. Also, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been included, given their significance in the post 1947 era."
The panel's recommendations will be submitted next week.
"Marx ... should be studied as a historical phenomenon but not at the expense of the Mahatma and not at the expense of Mandela," Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien said in an online post. He added that the move was a corrective one and not an attempt to doctor history.
'Marx and Engels were not great characters in history'
As the war of words has erupted in Bengal, with the CPM alleging the Trinamool Congress is assaulting democratic principles with its latest move to change the history syllabus, the authorities said they were merely correcting a communist slant that had prevailed since Left Front times.
Syllabus reform committee chairman Avik Mazumdar said the present syllabus highlighted only communist movements. "We have omitted the Russian Revolution, but kept Lenin and the Chinese revolution in the syllabus. If we had any intention to leave out communism, then why did we include Chinese revolution and Lenin?'' said Mazumdar.
"It is unfair if the children are only taught about these theories and do not have any understanding of the Green Revolution, Chipko movement or Nelson Mandela." He said Marx and Engels were not "great" characters in history, but they have been taught since they are part of the syllabus. "Lenin is still relevant for his contribution on imperialism. So are a few others. It is unfair to claim that we have kept communism away."
"The students and parents of Bengal will give a fitting reply to such acts," CPM politburo member Brinda Karat retorted, accusing the Trinamool Congress of launching an "assault on the democratic principles accepted by all''.
Leader of the opposition in the West Bengal assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra said he was yet to go through the committee's recommendations. "What I gathered from the media is alarming."
In another recommendation, the syllabus committee has recommended that the state board students be taught about literary stalwarts who introduced Indian writing to the west. Works of Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Mulk Raj Anand, Vikram Seth, R K Narayan, Anita Desai, Upamanyu Chatterjee and Arundhati Roy are set to be part of the English syllabus for classes XI and XII.
Amidst reports of corruption, nepotism and infighting in the party, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday warned party leaders of stern action saying that it would not be tolerated.
Addressing a party meeting, Banerjee said that corrupt practices, nepotism, promoting buildings and activities such as filling up of ponds by party leaders and workers were bringing the party into disrepute.
"Why should our party earn a bad name for the acts of a few? Those involved in such activities will not be spared," party insiders quoting Banerjee at the close door meeting said.
Reports of infighting in the party had been received from 10 to 12 places, Banerjee said the latest being Hooghly district where Tourism minister Rachpal Singh's car was ransacked.
Asking party workers and leaders to prove that the Trinamool Congress was different from the CPI(M), Banerjee said no infighting or groupism would be tolerated in the party.
Union and state ministers, councillors, panchayat leaders, MPs and MLAs, attended the meeting presided over by party secretary-general Partha Chatterjee.
Talking tough against raising of funds in the name of the Trinamool Congress, Banerjee said, "raising subscription by citing instances of celebrating Tagore or Nazrul will not be tolerated."
The Trinamool chief alleged that concerted attempts were being made to defame her party by sending SMS and asked party workers to be careful about this trend.
Quoting her, the insiders said that Banerjee defended her government's circular on newspapers that state-sponsored and aided libraries could keep and said that the move was taken to promote small newspapers.
"She was strongly against exaggerated reports in a section of the media intended to malign her government," they said.
Banerjee also urged her party leaders to gear up for the panchayat polls next year.
The party's all-India general secretary and Railway Minister Mukul Roy said that Banerjee discussed future plans about the party.
Asked if there would be any alliance with the Congress in coming panchayat polls, Roy said "it depends on the situation."
Asked about Congress leader Adhir Choudhury, MP, asserting during the day that the Congress would contest the panchayat elections alone in his home district Murshidabad, Roy said "I don't want to make any comment.
"But we know that Congress' decision is taken by Sonia Gandhi... like Mamata Banerjee of our party."
To a question, he said that former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi, besides Somen Mitra, MP, were absent at the meeting.
"Most party MPs attended the meeting. Those who could not, gave prior intimation that they would not be able to make it," he said.
He alleged that the party was facing opposition from a section of the media, but denied allegations that the state government was out to curb the right of the media.
"We have not created any hurdle in the way of the media's production and distribution," he said.
Roy said that like previous years, Trinamool Congress would organise a large rally at the Brigade Parade Ground here on July 21.
He said that it was decided that a month-long campaign would be launched from May 10 to highlight achievements of the state government.
The UPA government has ruled out the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's request for allotting additional foodgrain for the backward villages, Maoist-affected districts and other remote areas in West Bengal.
The Union Ministry of consumer affairs and public distribution has refused the requisition for extra rice and wheat for the below the poverty line (BPL) people as Mamata decided to distribute it among them.
"We had sent a requisition for 17,78,592 tonnes of rice and 26,37,636 tonnes of wheat as additional allocation for 2012-13. But the Centre has refused to allot the additional foodgrain," said Jyotipriyo Mallik, West Bengal food and supplies department minister.
"Whatever foodstock we have, we can distribute it among the BPL category for, at the most, another five-six months," he added.
The West Bengal receives about 79,707 tonnes of rice and 49,758 tonnes of wheat per month for distributing it among the BPL people, said sources.
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