PaRCha - JNU - ABVP - 2004 ID-412
.
tradition. In other words. we stand for .
decolonization in all spheres of national activity .
with acceptance of only those foreign values which can further enrich our indigenous cultural core . The ABVP is a nationalist student organization which stands for cultural nationalism. Even if the nation itself is a modern phenomenon, as is claimed by theorists of nationalism and nation-states the world over, it does derive popular legitimacy from the past. This legitimacy is based on notions of past cultural continuity, and shared historical memories and experiences. India being no exception to this, we reject the notion that lnd1an nationalism was a product merely of the opposition to colonial rule, and that the 'impact-response' model convincingly explains the 'im1tat1on' by a colonized, 'child people' of the politicalmstltutlons of the colonial masters. Our nationalism 1s ent1rely mdigenous to us. and is based on a celebration of the cultural linkages -as also the harmonization of differences through historical processes of collectivization -that can be traced bac'k to the times of the Vedic culture, the epic tradition. the egalitarian Bhakti Movement, etc. In more recent times, these processes of national collectivization have been carried forward by the contributions of men like Gandhi and Vivekanand , and organizations like the Arya Samaj and the RSS. The commitment towards the celebration of our national culture would be rendered meaningless ifwe were to fail to make a significant contribution to the decolonization of our education system. Our education system is still based on the colonial model, and can be seen as a direct off-shoot of the colonial state's policy to educate a handful of Indians in western thought, literature etc., with English as the medium of instruction. The aim of this venture was clearly hegemonic · having established political control over India, the colonizers were now seeking to perpetuate the RaJ through moral. social and cultural control; through a projection of notions of 'British supenonty' which were being sought to be established by the deculturization of Indians through the institutionalization of alien modes and forms of knowledge. The knowledge system thus imposed had an epistemological basis in the .
'Enlightenment' discourse -the dominant intellectual tradition in Europe at that time. The categories constructed by this European intellectual tradition -such as 'progress', 'rationality', 'scientifrcity', 'secularism', etc.-made their way into India and have unfortunately become uncontested 'truths' for us. An alternative, indigenous system of knowledge can be structured only through a questioning of these categories and the construction of alternative categories. which have indigenous roots; which are an outcome of a comprehensive and critical study of our own schools of thought and cultural values. The ABVP stands firmly in favour of any such venture aimed at the indigemzat1on of our education system. .
Related to the question of education is the issue of rewriting history. The initiative of the NDA government to rewrite history textbooks came in for severe criticism at the hands ofthe left. They argued that history was being sought to be 'saffronized' and 'distorted' by the Vajpayee government. So far as the 'saffronization' issue goes. the intellectually colonized cannot appreciate the indigenization of education and are constrained to give negative connotations to it. Where 'distortion' is concerned, any serious scholar of social sciences can understand that history is not a body of factual information but a discipline based on contesting approaches to past questions. Any interpretation based on sources and coherently argued can constitute a legitimate approach to the past. But so far as textbooks are concerned. care should be taken not to make them an instrument for the propagation of a .
particular ideology, least of all an Ideology that has no popular support in the country! The earlier NCERT textbooks played precisely this role : they selectively concealed and overemphasized facts calculated to further the political cause of the Communists and the Congress, to the total detriment ofthe Hindutva ideology. That is why the Modern India Textbook of Bipan Chandra, which is otherwise obsessed with 'communalism', conveniently omits the important historical evidence regarding support for the Pakistan Movement by the CPI-the mother organization of .
the CPl. the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML). .
The ABVP expresses serious concern over the threat of fundamentalism of all hues, religious and 'secular', which seeks to reduce the complex of reality to a narrow, monolithic code of ethics and behaviour. It divides the whole material and spiritual world into two watertight compartments -'truth' (which it alone possesses) and 'falsity'. While the Jehadi mindset -which insists on restoring the 'purity' of Islam and is ready to counter with violence any questioning of its model ofa monolithic religion-has become a major source of world terrorism. Marxist terrorism, in Nepal and in several states of India, which is a direct off-shoot of the dogmatic Ideas of Karl Marx and Engels. is another threat to world peace. While the Jehadi mindset can be countered both by state action and the encouragement of moderate Muslim opinion. the 'secular' Marx1st terronsm can be countered only with an iron hand; for no moderate Marxist opinion can exist in the world without being branded 'Utopian' or even 'pro-imperialist' by its own dogmatic comrades. .
The explosive situation in Assam and Manipur shows the utter failure of the UPA government supported by the Communists in handling the situation in the north-eastern states of India. The BJP-Ied NDA government had engaged in constructive talks with many north-eastern groups through its interlocutor, Mr. Padmanabhiyah, and had s1gned a historic peace accord with the various factions of the Nagas.The ABVP stands for peaceful resolution of the problems concerning the north-east through negotiations aimed at the satisfaction of all concerned groups. CAMPUS ISSUES .
The ABVP rejects the SFI-AISF-AISA's politics of ritualistic pre-election hunger strikes which aim at misguiding the freshers. The hostel problem 'suddenly' crops up before every election, only to disappear in the winter semester: the 'anti.-student Administration' is targeted and abused unt1l the hunger strike is finally withdrawn on the Administration's 'assurance' of agreeing with the SFI's demands 'in principle' (as distinct from practice) and hollow promises of initiating .
.
PaRCha - JNU - ABVP - 2004 ID-412
.
tradition. In other words. we stand for .
decolonization in all spheres of national activity .
with acceptance of only those foreign values which can further enrich our indigenous cultural core . The ABVP is a nationalist student organization which stands for cultural nationalism. Even if the nation itself is a modern phenomenon, as is claimed by theorists of nationalism and nation-states the world over, it does derive popular legitimacy from the past. This legitimacy is based on notions of past cultural continuity, and shared historical memories and experiences. India being no exception to this, we reject the notion that lnd1an nationalism was a product merely of the opposition to colonial rule, and that the 'impact-response' model convincingly explains the 'im1tat1on' by a colonized, 'child people' of the politicalmstltutlons of the colonial masters. Our nationalism 1s ent1rely mdigenous to us. and is based on a celebration of the cultural linkages -as also the harmonization of differences through historical processes of collectivization -that can be traced bac'k to the times of the Vedic culture, the epic tradition. the egalitarian Bhakti Movement, etc. In more recent times, these processes of national collectivization have been carried forward by the contributions of men like Gandhi and Vivekanand , and organizations like the Arya Samaj and the RSS. The commitment towards the celebration of our national culture would be rendered meaningless ifwe were to fail to make a significant contribution to the decolonization of our education system. Our education system is still based on the colonial model, and can be seen as a direct off-shoot of the colonial state's policy to educate a handful of Indians in western thought, literature etc., with English as the medium of instruction. The aim of this venture was clearly hegemonic · having established political control over India, the colonizers were now seeking to perpetuate the RaJ through moral. social and cultural control; through a projection of notions of 'British supenonty' which were being sought to be established by the deculturization of Indians through the institutionalization of alien modes and forms of knowledge. The knowledge system thus imposed had an epistemological basis in the .
'Enlightenment' discourse -the dominant intellectual tradition in Europe at that time. The categories constructed by this European intellectual tradition -such as 'progress', 'rationality', 'scientifrcity', 'secularism', etc.-made their way into India and have unfortunately become uncontested 'truths' for us. An alternative, indigenous system of knowledge can be structured only through a questioning of these categories and the construction of alternative categories. which have indigenous roots; which are an outcome of a comprehensive and critical study of our own schools of thought and cultural values. The ABVP stands firmly in favour of any such venture aimed at the indigemzat1on of our education system. .
Related to the question of education is the issue of rewriting history. The initiative of the NDA government to rewrite history textbooks came in for severe criticism at the hands ofthe left. They argued that history was being sought to be 'saffronized' and 'distorted' by the Vajpayee government. So far as the 'saffronization' issue goes. the intellectually colonized cannot appreciate the indigenization of education and are constrained to give negative connotations to it. Where 'distortion' is concerned, any serious scholar of social sciences can understand that history is not a body of factual information but a discipline based on contesting approaches to past questions. Any interpretation based on sources and coherently argued can constitute a legitimate approach to the past. But so far as textbooks are concerned. care should be taken not to make them an instrument for the propagation of a .
particular ideology, least of all an Ideology that has no popular support in the country! The earlier NCERT textbooks played precisely this role : they selectively concealed and overemphasized facts calculated to further the political cause of the Communists and the Congress, to the total detriment ofthe Hindutva ideology. That is why the Modern India Textbook of Bipan Chandra, which is otherwise obsessed with 'communalism', conveniently omits the important historical evidence regarding support for the Pakistan Movement by the CPI-the mother organization of .
the CPl. the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML). .
The ABVP expresses serious concern over the threat of fundamentalism of all hues, religious and 'secular', which seeks to reduce the complex of reality to a narrow, monolithic code of ethics and behaviour. It divides the whole material and spiritual world into two watertight compartments -'truth' (which it alone possesses) and 'falsity'. While the Jehadi mindset -which insists on restoring the 'purity' of Islam and is ready to counter with violence any questioning of its model ofa monolithic religion-has become a major source of world terrorism. Marxist terrorism, in Nepal and in several states of India, which is a direct off-shoot of the dogmatic Ideas of Karl Marx and Engels. is another threat to world peace. While the Jehadi mindset can be countered both by state action and the encouragement of moderate Muslim opinion. the 'secular' Marx1st terronsm can be countered only with an iron hand; for no moderate Marxist opinion can exist in the world without being branded 'Utopian' or even 'pro-imperialist' by its own dogmatic comrades. .
The explosive situation in Assam and Manipur shows the utter failure of the UPA government supported by the Communists in handling the situation in the north-eastern states of India. The BJP-Ied NDA government had engaged in constructive talks with many north-eastern groups through its interlocutor, Mr. Padmanabhiyah, and had s1gned a historic peace accord with the various factions of the Nagas.The ABVP stands for peaceful resolution of the problems concerning the north-east through negotiations aimed at the satisfaction of all concerned groups. CAMPUS ISSUES .
The ABVP rejects the SFI-AISF-AISA's politics of ritualistic pre-election hunger strikes which aim at misguiding the freshers. The hostel problem 'suddenly' crops up before every election, only to disappear in the winter semester: the 'anti.-student Administration' is targeted and abused unt1l the hunger strike is finally withdrawn on the Administration's 'assurance' of agreeing with the SFI's demands 'in principle' (as distinct from practice) and hollow promises of initiating .
.