It is 'Talibanisation' of education: Arjun Singh

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 23. The Rajya Sabha, which had barely gone through the second question of the day, adjourned today after tumultuous scenes marked the proceedings over a disagreement on the usage of the word - Taliban - which the BJP wanted expunged but the Opposition refused to withdraw.

A row erupted when the House was discussing a question on the policy for writing textbooks and the CPI(M) member, Mr. Jibon Roy, referred to reports that the National Council of Education, Research and Training was set to rewrite history. As the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Ms. Rita Verma, countered the charge and the question hour progressed, the senior Congress leader, Mr. Arjun Singh, wanted to pose supplementaries when a comment by a BJP member irked him.

Mr. Singh, a former Union Human Resource Development Minister, charged the BJP-led Government with the `Talibanisation of education' leading to immediate protests from the BJP members who demanded that the word `Taliban' be deleted.

The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Manmohan Singh, regretted that a senior member like Mr. Singh was prevented from posing a question and the Congress chief whip, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, said the party would not withdraw any word. He reiterated that the members ``on the other side'' were both fascist and Talibanist. As the verbal duel continued, the Chairman, Mr. Kishan Kant, adjourned the House till 12.15 p.m.

On reassembly, Mr. Suresh Pachauri, who was in the Chair, adjourned the Upper House till 2.30 p.m., to enable the Chairman to sort out the matter with the leaders of the political parties.

Deadlock persisted when the members returned after lunch. The Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Najma Heptulla, reminded the members that Friday afternoon was reserved for Private Members' business. However, the Opposition members, led by Mr. Pachauri, demanded an apology for the way the ruling party members had acted. The BJP counter came from Mr. S. S. Ahluwalia, who insisted on deleting the word `Taliban'.

Dr. Heptulla's observation that `Taliban' was not an unparliamentary expression, did not pacify the agitated BJP members. With noisy scenes continuing for nearly 20 minutes, Dr. Heptulla adjourned the House till Monday morning.

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