The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Academic wrangling
DAV, Guru Nanak Dev University at loggerheads again
after 35 years
By Varinder Walia

Guru Nanak Dev University campus remains abuzz with activity

The language divide in Punjab at the turn of the twentieth century that reached its climax following the demand of a separate Punjabi Suba presents a complex phenomenon. The formation of separate Punjabi-speaking state followed by foundation of Guru Nanak Dev University in 1966 and 1969, respectively, made the language divide murkier in the newly-carved-out state in those days.

Initially, it was Guru Nanak University (GNU). After amending the Guru Nanak University Act 1969, it was rechristened as Guru Nanak Dev University in 1975. Within six years of its inception, educationists saw the DAV Trust Management and the newly-formed varsity at loggerheads.

The old issue — DAV v/s State and Guru Nanak Dev University — has again come to the fore, with the state government issuing directives to the former (DAV) to follow the norms of Punjab government while making appointments.

The decision of the Coordination Committee of Vice-Chancellors to enforce UGC/state government’s norms while selecting principals, lecturers in all DAV Colleges (thus ending their ‘minority status’ enjoyed by the management in Punjab for the last about 35 years), earned the wrath of DAV Management again. This is not acceptable to the DAV Management that claims that the state and Guru Nanak Dev Varsity were “misconstruing” the decision of the apex court.

The meeting, presided by Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Deputy Chief Minister, and attended by Vice-Chancellors of Guru Nanak Dev University and Punjabi University, Patiala, and representatives of Punjab Technical University and Panjab University had taken the decision after seeking legal opinion from the Legal Remembrance.

Since the inception of Guru Nanak Dev University in 1969, the DAV educational institutions had been insisting on making independent appointments without involving representations of Vice-Chancellors or DPI.

The decision of the state government has also come as a big jolt for Sikh, Jain and Christian educational institutions in the state, which had been demanding ‘minority status’ on the pattern of DAV colleges. So much so that the Sikh Educational Society, Chandigarh, in a letter to Guru Nanak Dev Varsity, had threatened to make independent appointments without involving the representatives of the DPI and the VCs on the pattern of DAV.

Mr D.R. Gupta, Director, DAV Colleges, New Delhi, said it was shocking that the state government was ‘misguided’ on the minority status, being enjoyed by the DAV educational institutes in Punjab since 1970s. He claimed that the judgement of the apex court was in favour of the DAV managements, which had clearly mentioned that the state government or the universities could not interfere in the appointments of teaching and non-teaching by the DAV management. However, ignoring the claims of DAV, Guru Nanak Dev University syndicate endorsed the decision of the state government to enforce UGC/state government’s norms while selecting principals, lecturers in all DAV colleges.

Reacting sharply to the decision, Mr D.R. Gupta said the decision of the state and its endorsement by the varsity syndicate was neither on merit nor in the spirit of the Supreme Court judgement pronounced in October 2002. He said after the formation of Guru Nanak Dev Varsity, the DAV Management apprehended that its (DAV’s) distinct identity could be threatened by the new university and hence they sought affiliation with Panjab University instead. He said the DAV Management would contest the decision of the state and the syndicate at an appropriate platform.

Earlier, DPI (Colleges) had sent communication to all principals of DAV colleges to meticulously implement the directions of the state government regarding appointments and transfers of the employees to claim grant-in-aid. The DPI had also directed the principals to supply entire data with regard to appointments and transfers after 1981. Henceforth, it would be mandatory for DAV institutes to have nominees of VCs and DPI as per the UGC norms in their selection committees as decided by the syndicate.

For many years till the formation of Beant Singh government, the university authorities failed to contest the case properly. So much so, the file was found missing from the university records.

The official note of the Dean College Development Council, dated October 7, 1996, shows the “callous” attitude of the university officials, who had failed to contest the case for more than 15 years seriously. It reads, “The undersigned vividly remembers that a copy of the original petition filed by the DAV College Trust and Management, New Delhi, was received by the university; and evidently a suitable reply may also have been filed in the Supreme Court. The case was not decided by the apex court during all this period. The file relating to this case is not traceable in the university offices. On perusal of the writ petition, it is clear that the petitioners have challenged certain notifications issued by the education department through the DPI and that it is the Department of Punjab that is contesting the case. It will, therefore, be appropriate to have a close liaison with the DPI (Colleges), Punjab, which is the main respondent in this case. The university need not file a separate reply to the petition at such a belated stage. Rather the reply filed by the state Education Department in this writ petition may be taken as the reply of the university”.

The issue of Punjabi language remained the bone of contention during the long legal battle between DAV and State/Guru Nanak Dev University. The university claimed that Punjabi language should be enforced as the sole medium of instruction and for examinations on the ground that it was the national policy of the Government of India to develop Indian languages and literature. The colleges in question used Hindi as the medium of instruction and Devnagri as the script. The management claimed that, apart from holding that the State Legislature was legislatively incompetent to make Punjabi the sole medium of instruction. It reaffirmed the fact that the college (although run by the Hindu community that represented the national majority) was, in Punjab, a religious minority with a distinct script, and therefore, the state could not compel the petitioner-college to teach in Punjabi or take examinations in that language with Gurmukhi script.

Mr P.C Valla, a Counsel of the university, wrote on October 11, 1996 , “As to my recollection, this case was not contested by the university on the advice of Mr K. S. Gill, then Vice-Chancellor in writing on the basis of reference of the decision taken in the meeting of Vice-Chancellors of the universities in the state. The relevant file, which is now reported to be missing, was thoroughly examined by me in compliance with an order of the Vice- Chancellor G.S. Randhawa passed on a note put up by Dr Devinder Singh, the then Secretary of the Vice-Chancellor, complaining that the case should have been contested by the university, Thereupon, the case was assigned to Mr Ajit Singh, Advocate, Supreme Court, New Delhi in pursuance of the order passed by the Vice-Chancellor, for representing the university in the said case. Moreover, the petitioners have challenged the orders passed by the state government pertaining to constitution of selection committee for appointment of teachers and their main thrust is that Arya Samaj Institution, including DAV institution, are administered by the religious and linguistic minority within the meaning of Article 30 (1) of the Constitution and they were entitled to administer these institutions according to their choice without any sort of interference by the state government. At this belated stage, it would not be legally admissible to file written statement when the date fixed for the purpose has since long expired. Ajit Singh, University Advocate, may be requested to appear on behalf of the university about the progress of the case accordingly. The missing of such an important file from the office of the university is a matter to be seriously taken by the authorities for probe and fixing responsibility so that such a lapse does not occur again and no one is permitted to ignore the interest of the university”.

According to Mr R.S Suri, advocate for Punjab (1981), DAV institutions were established to impart religious education. Its main aim and object in Punjab and elsewhere are to encourage the study of Hindi, classical Sanskrit and Vedas and to provide instructions in Hindi. He said that after January 3, 1977, when education was shifted from the state list to the concurrent list, it ceased to be a religious minority. In view of this, the unit for deciding whether a particular group is religious minority or not is the whole country and not a state.

When the society was formed in 1886, it was intended to establish educational institutions in Punjab and other states, and they did not have in mind any minority based on religion and language at all. The Hindus were in the majority till November 1, 1966, when Punjab was reorganised.

One of the objects of the Samaj is to encourage, improve and enforce the study of Hindi, Sanskrit and Vedas. Its other object is to encourage theory and practice of Ayurveda. The members of Arya Samaj never suffered any handicap in Punjab either before November 1, 1966, when Hindus were in the majority nor after the period when Hindus became a minority.

The state claimed that admittedly Arya Samaj was a religious denomination. Only a minority based on religion or language was entitled to the right conferred by Article 30 (1) but not a religious denomination. The question of linguistic minority was not decided. The state claimed that a society that had established a chain of institutions with its registered office in Delhi and several other states, imparting general education, could not claim the status of minority institutions in the state of Punjab alone where the population of Hindus happened to be less than 50 per cent after November 1, 1966, so that in all other states identical institutions would be subject to state regulation, but only in the state of Punjab they would be free from state regulation in the matter of administration. The state further claimed that the Article 30(1) conferred right on the minority as a whole, and not on a denomination of a minority.

The state further contested that Arya Samaj had no language of its own and could not be treated as a linguistic minority. Its members could belong to different linguistic groups.

A social reformer par excellence

Maharishi Swami Dayanand (1824-1883) was the founder of the Hindu reform organisation “Arya Samaj”, which he established on April 7, 1875. He also created the ten principles of Arya Samaj. Throughout his life, Swami Dayanand preached against many traditions that he felt were dogmatic and oppressive. These included traditions such as idol worship, caste by birth, and the exclusion of females from the study of the Vedas. One of his main messages was for Hindus to go back to the roots of their religion, which are the Vedas. By doing this, he felt that Hindus would be able to improve the depressive religious, social, political, and economic conditions prevailing in India at that time.

Poet’s lament

The denial of Punjabi in administrative and educational domains at different points in the history of Punjab was lamented in the early thirties by the non-Sikh poet Feroz Din Sharaf, a popular Punjabi poet in pre-Partition Punjab who used to participate in Punjabi symposia held in different parts of the province. “Sharaf di Sari di Sari Kavita”, a collection of his poems, was published by the Department of Languages in the Punjab Government in 1979. According to the poet, Punjabis are guilty of neglecting their mother tongue. Sharaf writes, “Mother Punjabi is wailing”.

Road divider poses a traffic hazard
By Rashmi Talwar

Electricity poles installed in the middle of the Maqbool Road pose a danger to commuters

City residents are greatly perturbed over the problems they face while crossing the road divider, erected by the Municipal Corporation at the busy Maqbool Road, where the residence of Deputy Commissioner is also located. The electricity poles on the road add to the chaotic situation usually caused by the divider. Owing to a number of accidents, the MC has thought of a novel idea — to paint the base of the poles in red colour to increase their visibility, for commuters instead of implementing the plan to remove these.

The poles are located haphazardedly making the entire kilometer stretch almost a nightmare for commuters.

The divider has been sore point for past many months as the MC thought it best to erect almost 3.5 feet in breath divider without shifting the electricity poles on the road.

On this posh section, despite the long list of accidents due to narrowing of road that developed deep potholes during the construction of the ‘extra’ broad divider, no thought was spared to the haphazarded planning by the civil wing of the MC that had undertaken the construction on clearing the encroachments foremost.

Mr Sunil Datti, Mayor, when contacted, said that the corporation had told the Punjab State electricity Department (PSEB) to expeditiously remove the poles that would cost at least Rs 16 lakh, but to no avail.

Interestingly, the divider that was aimed at smoothening the traffic flow has created more problems than anticipated owing to bad planning.

Several cuts have been made on the divider to cater to colonies around it, making it highly accident-prone, as two-wheelers and four-wheelers jostle for making “U” turns and end up in grievous accidents. Many school vans have also met accidents here. In many cases, the divider was damaged.

Another interesting aspect was that one such entry point or cut-in-the-divider leads to the deputy commissioner’s residence that could have been easily avoided. However, even as the MC experiment has failed, the scenario here for past many months remains a mess with broken road, chinked divider, dust clouds and bumpy ride. Meanwhile, the PSEB has also failed to remove the poles that have marred the posh Race Course road constructed nearly a year back. Reportedly, with an eye on the forthcoming elections next year to improve on its track record in development, the MC went ahead with the construction of road divider at Maqbool road prior to clearing the area of poles and other obstructions that could widen the road to nearly 30-feet-wide on either side.

The concerned SE, PSEB, Mr Seth, could not be contacted. However, the PSEB officers cite fund crunch as the reason for the delay.

The MC was unable to commence the construction of even pavements at Maqbool road , throwing life out of gear for commuters as well as for the residents of area who suffer due to illegal parking outside their main gates resulting in frequent brawls.

Consumer Forum asks bank to pay Rs 3000 as compensation
By Neeraj Bagga

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked the HDFC bank to pay Rs 3,000 as compensation, including Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses, to Mr Joginder Singh Sahdev from Guru Ram Das Nagar, Sultanwind Road.

The forum held that the bank was “negligent and deficient” in providing services to the complainant. The forum also found the bank guilty of “harassing” the petitioner for no fault of his.

Mr Sahdev said that he had taken a loan of Rs 31,458 for procuring a motor bike.

The amount was to be returned through 25 installments of Rs 1,458 each. For this, he submitted 24 cheques with the Bank, he added. He said owing to some personal reasons, he had to close the bank account and for the clearance of the remaining loan, he submitted 19 cheques of a different bank for swapping.

He said that even then he was later intimated by the bank that his cheques drawn on HDFC were dishonoured.

The Forum ordered the bank not to confiscate the motor cycle of the complainant, Mr Sahdev, except in case, after obtaining the order from the civil court of the competent jurisdiction, there was any default in depositing the installment by the complainant in future.

Mr Kamal Jindal, Collection Manager, HDFC, said that he did not know much about the case as he joined here last year only.

He said perhaps the cheques deposited later were lost in due process. He said that he had asked the other party to clear the dues and the bank would return the compensation amount of Rs 3,000 from the total amount.

City hotels to follow fire safety norms

The Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association has decided to follow all fire safety norms prescribed by the Fire Development Authority of the Municipal Corporation.

In its meeting held here, the association unanimously decided that in view of the disastrous Meerut fire incident, which claimed many lives, it would conform to all the safety measures, as circulated by the fire department of the city. The association directed its members to immediately take steps to further beef up the fire safety measures in their buildings to protect the life and property.

The association also decided to knock the doors of the court with regard to the court case filed by the Phonographic Performance Ltd.

Briefing newsmen, Mr A P S Chatha, secretary general of the association, said that it would accord a warm welcome to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce during its visit to this Holy City this week. — OC

Shooting of Telefilm ‘Gur Pura Sukh Data’ starts
By P.K. Jaiswar

Artistes enacting a scene during the shooting of the telefilm. — A Tribune photo

Bhai Gur Iqbal Singh of Gurmat Satsang Sabha Dhan-Dhan Mata Kaula Ji has launched the making of a Punjabi religious telefilm ‘Gur Pura Sukh Data’. The shooting of the film started in Sur Singh village and its adjoining areas.

Famous theatre and television artiste, Har Rajeshwar Dyal Singh, is directing the picture. He is also playing a lead role in the film, while Jaswant Singh Jass, Professor Rimpi Ranjit, Paramjit Rahi, Rajinder Nagi, Professor Atma Singh Gill were among the other artistes of the telefilm.

Prof Atma Singh Gill has written the script of the film, while Preet Ishar Singh is the assistant director of the movie.

Bhai Gur Iqbal Singh performed ‘Ardas’ before the launch of the film.

Giving details about the story of the film, H R D Singh who is a bank employee by profession, said this was a story of issueless couple Gurmukh Singh and Baljit Kaur. Gurmukh, a staunch believer of Sikh gurus, is a cloth merchant and always believe that God would bless him with a child one day. But his wife disappointed with the nagging taunts of people, seeks help of Tantrik babas under the influence of a woman neighbour.

The telefilm would convey a message of believing in the teachings of Sikh Gurus. It encourages the “Gursikhs” to come out of the darkness of ignorance.

Another award for Hindi professor

Best Citizens Of India, an NGO, has decided to confer the “Best Citizens of India” award to Dr Harmohinder Singh Bedi, Dean, Languages and Senior Professor, Department of Hindi, Guru Nanak Dev University, in recognition of his outstanding work in medieval Hindi literature, historiography and research work.

Dr Bedi has authored 250 research papers and articles, besides completing three projects and publishing 14 books, including seven critical and research books, three creative books and four books in Punjabi.

He has also edited 13 books, translated four books and written a dozen books for school, under-graduate and postgraduate students.

The former head of the university’s Hindi Department, Dr Bedi has been the coordinator of Swami Vivekananda Study Centre of the UGC. He is also Hindi advisor to the Government of India (Ministry of Labour), Professor and Head of the Satguru Ram Singh Chair (Guru Nanak Dev University. He has also been chairman of the Press and Publication Department of the university.

For his contribution and promotion of Hindi and literature, he was conferred with many awards including President of India’s Award, National Award for his poetry book, ‘Garm Loha’ and Kavi Ratan Award of U B Sahitya Academy (1987).

He was also given the Punjab Sahitya and Kala Award (1999), Sahitya Maha Mahopadhyay Degree (2003), Punjab Sahitya Academy Award (2003) and Shiromani Sahityakar (2003) from the Uttar Pradesh government and Nagri Smvardhan Samman (2004).

The selection by the Best Citizens of India is based on the extensive research to identify dynamic men and women of India.

The award honours outstanding personalities including politicians and actors for their outstanding work in a particular field. — OC

306 students awarded for excellent academic performance

Dr H.S. Soch, former Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, honouring a student during the annual function of DAV Public School. — A Tribune photo

About 306 meritorious students, who performed excellently in Class X and XII (CBSE Board) and brought laurels and pride to the institution, were awarded at the annual prize distribution function of the DAV Public School held recently.

Dr H S Soch, former Vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University was the chief guest on the occasion.

The students, who had been selected in various professional colleges, were awarded with trophies and silver medals.

Cash prizes were also given to the students, who scored 80 per cent marks in the Class Xth CBSE board examination. Nukkad Natak “Abu-Bin-Adam” was also presented by the students, while a memento was presented to the chief guest by the school Principal, Ms J. Kackria. — OC

NGO donates $1000 to city school

US-based Amritsar Development Charitable Organisation, an NGO, donated $ 1000 to the Citizen Forum Vidya Bhawan, which is running a school for the children of drug addicts in the Maqboolpura locality.

Mr Harbhajan Singh, a retired economist of the World Bank, and a member of the NGO, said that another cheque of dollars 915 had been given to the Government Senior Secondary School here. — OC

School celebrates Labour Day

Celebrating the Labour Day in a unique way, Ryan Awareness Club of Ryan International School organised a literary mission for ten days in which the fourth class employees of the school were educated to do signatures in English and also to speak short sentences. They were also taught about different colours, counting currency and giving their introduction in English.

A cultural programme was also held in the school for the working class. They were felicitated with badges made by the students. Ms Priyanka, Principal of the school, said the main aim of celebrating the Labour Day was to inculcate in the children the spirit of oneness and to bridge the gap between the different strata of the society. — OC