On Thursday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also strongly criticised draft regulations of the University Grants Commission, accusing it of trying to lay down a single argument or ‘one history, one tradition, one language’ on the country while making amendments in the appointment of teachers and academic staff in universities and colleges. Talking to the crowd of protesters at the Jantar Mantar, Delhi, the capital organised by the DMK student wing, Gandhi alleged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was attempting to strip India of its diverse histories, cultures and traditions.
It is entrenched in the Constitution itself, which Gandhi believes to be India’s diversity, and the RSS is trying to promote the idea of a singular view of India, said Gandhi. Gandhi said that is the starting point and what it aspires to achieve. Therefore, he said the RSS wanted to preach the message of a uniform ideology across India: one history, one tradition, and one language. Still, its aim goes as far as attacking the Constitution itself. “This is part of the RSS agenda to force an RSS agenda in the education system: This has to do with the richness of the regional history and cultures,” he said.
India’s strength, for Gandhi, is its federal structure, which is also made up of distinct languages, traditions, and histories of each state. India is a “Union of States,” argued he, in which several languages and cultures unite to construct the nation. He emphasized, for instance, that Tamil people have a rich tradition, language, and history, which should be respected.
Finally, Rahul Gandhi urged for a more inclusive education system that was not just parochial but also regionally inclusive, which did not promote a monolithic culture and historical narrative. He demanded a system that recognises and respects the different identities that make India so special.
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