Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi has asked heads of educational institutions to be all ears when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech — to mark the centenary of RSS ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya and the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address — is broadcast live. He wants them to cut off the broadcast if the speech veers towards RSS and Hindutva ideology.
Live broadcast
Educational institutions across India have been asked by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to make arrangements for students can watch the live broadcast on Monday.
However, Mr. Rayaraddi said that while the State has instructed universities and colleges to make necessary arrangements as it marks the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address, they cannot allow the same platform to be used as means to propagate Hindutva ideology.
“As the Prime Minister, Mr. Modi can certainly address students. But we are worried as the agenda has not been mentioned clearly. The State government wants to maintain communal harmony in educational institutions and does not want to expose students to saffron agenda,” he said. The theme of the broadcast is ‘Young India, New India - A Resurgent Nation: From Sankalp to Sidhhi’.
Some may skip
In the tussle between the State and the Union government, universities and higher educational institutions are in a dilemma as to whether to go head with the arrangements for students. While some are fixing projectors for the relay in the auditorium, others such as Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) have decided to skip the event. According to a VTU source, the circular issued on September 7 had come “too late” because of which the university could not prepare in time.