Charak Shapath Row : DMK’s Pathological Hinduphobia

 

On April 30th, the first year medical students of the state-run Madurai Medical College took the Maharishi Charaka oath suggested by the National Medical Council, during their inaugural function. The Finance Minister of TN Dr Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, who was present at the function, objected to it and asked why the students were taking Charaka oath, instead of the Hippocratic oath.  

Immediately it became a hot issue in the state with the DMK, the pseudo-secular parties and the fringe groups accusing the central Government of ‘imposing Sankrit’ and criticizing Maharishi Charaka taking a few lines from his text out of context. The very next day, on May 1, the state Govt. removed the Dean of the Madurai Medical College and kept him on the compulsory waiting list without giving any post. It also ordered a departmental enquiry against him. Further the TN Govt. directed all the medical colleges in the state to use only the Hippocratic oath hereafter.

The Charaka oath taken by the Madurai students was not in Sanskrit; it was the English translation. Besides, it was the decision of the students.  But the DMK is not bothered. It is enough for them that it was taken from a book written in Sanskrit around 1900 years back. The state Health Minister later reasoned that now the central Govt. would justify that the oath is only in English, but later they would use it for imposing Sanskrit. Hence TN should be careful and not allow this oath now.

In fact, only now the DMK Govt. has come to know that students from three other medical colleges in the state had already taken Charaka oath earlier. So the health minister has announced that the Govt. has initiated action against those colleges also.

TN Govt. is so ignorant that the Charaka oath was suggested by the National Medical Council during Feb 2022. Later the Union Health Minister had clarified in the Parliament that the Charaka oath is not compulsory and it is only optional. Hence it was left to the concerned states to take the decision.

In fact, Charaka oath has been in practice in the medical institutions even before National Medical Council suggested it recently.  A former Director of the AIIMS, Delhi, one of the premier medical institutions in the country, has said it was in use in AIIMS even before 2013. It is  reported that around 150 medical colleges in the country are already using the Charaka oath.

The state health minister has noted that the Hippocratic oath is being used across the world. Unfortunately, he does not know the original version of the oath underwent many changes in different countries over the years. In fact, most of the scholars do not attribute the oath to Hippocrates himself.

Hence he may not be aware that many countries have already developed their own oaths and now there is no universally accepted oath. The US, the British and several other countries have their own oaths. As early as 1949, the World Medical Association had adopted an international code of medical ethics.

Besides, experts note that Charaka oath is more suitable for the students entering the medical colleges, as it was written for a similar context   during the earlier centuries. Moreover, Maharishi Charaka is revered  as the father of medicine and Charaka Samhita is one of the foundational texts of ancient Indian medical system.

But for DMK, anything connected with our past, even if it is related to TN, is anathema. That is why they refuse to talk much about the Cholas, Cheras, Pandavas or Pallavas. Raja Raja, is one of the greatest rulers of India. But they don’t take pride about it. It was because they were pious, religious, established temples and nurtured Tamil culture.

Tamil is the most ancient language in the world. Tamil culture and Hinduism are deeply inter-twined. Tamil language grew over the centuries due to the contributions of the  Hindu seers, sages and their verses and texts. This is the reason why Tamil Nadu has enormous literature related to Bhakthi. In fact, the Bhakthi movement has its origins in Tamil Nadu dating back to the seventh- eighteenth centuries, before spreading to other parts of our country.

But over the last forty years the Dravidian parties have systematically removed the bhakthi literature from the school texts. The DMK has been indirectly encouraging the Christian groups to paint the well-known Thirukkural as the one connected to their ideology.  Even in the central Govt. funded Central Institute of Classical Tamil, the texts related to the Bhakathi period are forbidden for studies and research, thanks to the former Chief Minister Karunanidhi during whose period it was established.

When such is the treatment to even the ancient Tamil periods, how will they accept the greatness of India, particularly the “north India”? Hence they completely abhor Sanskrit, Hindi and anything related to the Hindu culture. They don’t know the basic fact Tamil and Sanskrit have deep connections, as the most ancient languages. They don’t even realize that even today almost all the Tamil families, including those from the Dravidian households, prefer the choicest Sanskrit names for their children.

For DMK, the history begins with the Justice Party founded in 1917, the earlier avatar of the Dravidar Kazhakam, which is the fountainhead of DMK. Dravidar Kazhakam founder EVR asked Tamilians to speak in English at home, as Tamil is a barbaric language. He also wanted Tamil Nadu to be ruled by the British from London, even if independence was given to India.

In less than a year after Stalin came to power in 2021, the Govt. has already demolished around 250 Hindu temples. During the last 45 years of rule by the Dravidian parties, temples have already lost around 50,000 acres of their lands. But the temple properties illegally occupied by the Christians have not been touched, even after the court orders.

The missionary and the jihadi activities have rapidly increased during the last few months. Conversion groups are openly targeting schools. When a Hindu girl Lavanya committed suicide in a missionary school after she was forced to convert, the DMK sided with the missionaries.

During April 2022, the DMK Govt. forcibly took over the Ayodhya Mandapam in Chennai amidst protests by the devotees. It was constructed during the 1960s and managed by Sri Ram Samaj and used for satsangs and religious gatherings. After the protests by the devotees intensified, the Chennai High Court stayed the proceedings of the state Govt.

Immediately after banning the Charaka oath from medical colleges in the state, the DMK Govt. has now banned the five centuries’ – old practice of the devotees carrying the Chief Pontiff of Dharmapuram Adheenam in a traditional procession.   Dharmapuram Adheenam ( Mutt) is a highly respected Saiva Mutt in the state.

Recently the Chief Pontiff of the ancient Madurai Mutt, has openly voiced that he was under threat from the ruling party when he took steps to collect the huge amounts of dues from the tenants occupying the Mutt properties. He noted further that he would like to meet the Prime Minister, as there is threat to his life.

Thus the actions against the Hindu faith continue in Tamil Nadu with vigor, with the DMK in power.  The Chief Minister does not even greet the citizens during the Hindu festivals, but participates eagerly in the functions of the Abrahamic religions with enthusiasm. So the Charaka oath issue is not an isolated one, it is part of the continuous agenda of   the DMK.  It is time for the Hindus in TN to join hands and raise as one voice, as the DMK is bent upon assaulting the Hindu civilization.  

(Organiser, May 11, 2022)

Appointment of Vice Chancellors by TN Govt. Would Seriously Affect Higher Education

 

On April 25, 2022 the TN Assembly passed a Bill empowering the state Government to appoint the Vice Chancellors of thirteen state universities. The main objective is to replace the existing system of the Governor of the state appointing them in the capacity as the Chancellor.

During the discussions, the Chief Minister had noted on the floor of the House that the state needs to be empowered to select the VCs and not doing so would create a big impact on higher education. The Minister of higher education was candid when he admitted that while the Governors used to consult the state Governments before appointing the VCs during the earlier periods, there has been a change in the approach over the past few years.

In the present system, whenever there is a vacancy in a university, the search committee appointed for this purpose collects the details from the desiring applicants. After analyzing them, it selects three names and forwards the list to the Governor.  The Governor in turn will select one person out of it and appoints him/her as the VC.

The selection of members of the search committees is not the sole prerogative of the Governor. In many universities the Governor does not have any role in it, while the state has the right to have its nominees. It is true that in a few universities the state Government does not have the right to have its direct nominees.

The members of the search committees are selected by the academics, Government officials, educationists and other representatives who form part of the syndicate, senate and other similar bodies of the concerned university.  But the state Governments in TN over the years have always used to exert their influence through the higher education secretary and other means in all the universities.

The issue of the appointment of VCs became a topic for discussion in public only during the recent periods, after many vigilance cases and court proceedings. In one instance, a former VC of Bharathiar university was caught red- handed in his official residence while getting money. In another instance, a former VC of Anna University was sent to jail in corruption case.

Many VCs of the state universities such as TN Agricultural University, Periyar University, Law University and Anna University are facing cases charges relating to corruption, disproportionate assets and irregularities. Such VCs were serving in different universities across the state. So the issue is not confined to two or three institutions. Besides, the successive VCs of the premier technical university situated right in the capital city of the state are facing serious cases.  

This was mainly because of the indiscriminate appointment of VCs by the ruling parties based on considerations other than merit. The situation was very bad particularly during 2006 - 2016. As a result, the relatives of ministers such as son-in-law, daughter-in-law and those with political and monetary connections could only become the VCs.

As a result, there was complete politicization of the VC appointments. The situation went to such an extent that around ten VCs went and met Mrs Sasikala, the former Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s aide, during Dec 2016 after the demise of her mentor a few days earlier. They also pleaded with Sasikala to take over the mantle of the party leadership. One of the member of the team of VCs was the convener of the search committee for selecting the VC for Anna University constituted earlier.

A few days later on Dec 24, a group of 22 concerned citizens consisting of former VCs, senior academics, bureaucrats and others wrote to the Governor condemning the meeting.  The dignitaries included the highly respected former VC of Anna University Dr.M.Ananthakrishnan. In their letter, they noted that the “VCs behaved like ruling party cadres.”

 They also pointed out the root cause for the problem when they said that the “UGC norms for VC selection are completely ignored in public universities in TN and there is a strong perception that caste, political connections and of course, huge sums of money are the decisive criteria”

Therefore, they appealed to the Governor to see that, among other things, the “UGC norms be strictly incorporated in the statues of all the universities for appointment of search committees as well as that of VCs” and “set in motion complete transparency and objectivity in the constitution of the search committee and selection of VCs”

The present Chief Minister who was in the opposition at that time insisted that action should be taken against the VCs who met Sasikala to prevent “politicization of the office of the VCs and belittling the dignity of the autonomous status of the universities of the state.”

Earlier during 1994 the Jayalalitha Government passed a legislation in the TN assembly for taking over the power to appoint the VCs, similar to the one passed now. But in 1996, the DMK Government led by Karunanidhi, withdrew it saying that it was against the interests of the independence of the universities.

Interestingly the DMK Government led by Stalin now, has come out with this legislation. The main problem for them now is that the Governors appointed by the Modi Government are honest and firm. They follow the rules in letter and spirit and don’t compromise with the state Governments. Those in the academic community know that it is only during the last few years, VCs are appointed on the basis of merit. Hence there is a new confidence in the academic circles.  

It is unfortunate that Tamil Nadu has the notorious reputation of having perhaps the highest number of VCs and higher authorities of universities in the entire country facing prosecution agencies and court cases.  The state has also witnessed the successive education ministers going to court on corruption charges in the recent years.  

Those who were appointed as VCs through the wrong means during the earlier periods, threw the rules and regulations away to the winds.  They made all attempts to make appointments, from the office staff to the Professor and the Registrar, through unfair means. They devised several innovative methods such as opening of new departments and bifurcating the existing ones only to create more opportunities for appointments. Besides they were all the time involved in irregularities in all the different activities of the universities, with the intention to make money.  

All these would change when the VCs selected as per the rules begin to act in a fair manner with determination. The present Governor is maintaining his independence as the Chancellor and appointing VCs on merit. So there is new hope for the higher education system in the state. But apparently the DMK does not want this to continue.

TN higher education system has major issues to be addressed. Selection of faculty and staff in different universities and colleges  should be made only through fair means. There should be congenial atmosphere for serious teaching and research. Right now there is lot of politics and groups with vested interests in universities. The role of the state Government is critical in all these aspects.  

While the National Education Policy is opening up new avenues and funds are being made available by the centre, TN is not fully geared up to grab the opportunities. It is time for the authorities in the TN higher education system to understand the realities and re-orient themselves for a complete overhaul of the system based on transparency and merit.

In this connection, the appointment of VCs by the state Government would further bring down the quality of higher education, when the TN universities are already finding it difficult to recover from the misdeeds of the earlier periods.

The educationists, academicians and all those concerned with the system should join together to raise their voice for a healthy higher education system in the state. Meanwhile, the Governor should be requested to not to forward the Bill to the President of India for assent.

(The writer had earlier served in the syndicates of TN universities)

( Swarajya, May 4,2022)

மருத்துவ மாணவர் உறுதி மொழி – இந்திய மயமாக்கலை திமுக அரசு எதிர்ப்பது அரசியல் -- பேரா கனகசபாபதி அறிக்கை

 

அண்மையில் மதுரை மருத்துவக் கல்லூரியில் நடைபெற்ற முதலாமாண்டு மாணவர்கள் வரவேற்பு நிகழ்ச்சி மற்றும் மருத்துவத்தைக் குறிக்கும் வெள்ளை மேலாடை அணியும் நிகழ்ச்சி நடைபெற்றது. அதில் மாணவர்கள் கல்லூரிகளில் இதுவரை எடுத்து வந்த ஹிப்போகிராடிக் உறுதிமொழிக்குப் பதிலாக  பண்டைய இந்திய மருத்துவத் துறை முன்னோடி மகரிஷி சரகர் அவர்களின் நூலில் இருந்து எடுத்த உறுதி மொழியை எடுத்துக் கொண்டனர்.

அது திமுக அமைச்சர்கள் மற்றும் மாநில அரசால் அரசியலாக்கப்பட்டு அந்தக் கல்லூரியின் தலைவர் பதவி நீக்கம் செய்யப்பட்டு காத்திருப்பு பட்டியலில் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார். அவர் மீது துறை ரீதியான விசாரணை நடத்தவும் உத்தரவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. புதிய உறுதி மொழியை மத்திய அரசின் சமஸ்கிருத திணிப்பு என்று சொல்லி, இனி மேல்  தமிழக மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகள் ஹிப்போகிராடிக் உறுதி மொழியைக் கட்டாயம் எடுக்க வேண்டும் என மருத்துவத் துறை உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

ஹிப்போகிராடிக் உறுதி மொழி ஆங்கிலேயர் காலத்தில் கொண்டு வரப்பட்ட கிரேக்க மருத்துவ நிபுணரில் பெயரில் அமைந்த ஒன்றாகும். அதை உருவாக்கியது அவரல்ல என்று மேற்கத்திய மருத்துவர்களே சொல்கின்றனர். எனவே அமெரிக்கா, இங்கிலாந்து உள்ளிட்ட ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகள் என  உலகின் பல பகுதிகளிலும், தமக்குப் பொருத்தமான உறுதி மொழிகளை அவை உருவாக்கி, நடைமுறையில் வைத்துள்ளன. ஆகையால் சர்வதேச அளவில் ஏற்றுக் கொள்ளப்பட்ட உறுதி மொழி என எதுவும் தற்போது இல்லை.

அந்த வகையில் அண்மையில் தேசிய மருத்துவ கவுன்சில் இரண்டாயிரத்து நூறு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முந்தைய இந்திய ஆயுர்வேத நிபுணர் சரகரால் தொகுக்கப்பட்ட நூலில் உள்ள மாணவர்களுக்கான உறுதி மொழியை தற்போது எடுத்துக் கொள்ளலாம் எனக் கூறியிருந்தது. சரகரின் நெறி முறைகள் மாணவர்கள் கடைப்பிடிக்க வேண்டிய ஒழுக்கம், ஆசிரியர் – மாணவர்கள் உறவு, மருத்துவர் மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டிய அர்ப்பணிப்பு, நோயாளிகளை நடத்த வேண்டிய முறை ஆகியவை பற்றிச் சொல்கின்றன.

 

தொடர்ந்து பாராளுமன்றத்தில் மத்திய சுகாதார அமைச்சர் சரகரின் உறுதி மொழியை விரும்பும் மாநிலங்கள் உபயோகப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளலாம் எனவும்    மற்றவை பழைய முறையையே தொடரலாம் எனவும் தெளிவு படுத்தியிருந்தார். அதனடிப்படையில் பல மாநிலங்கள் சரகர் உறுதி மொழியை அறிமுகப்படுத்தியுள்ளன. அதே போல மதுரை மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி மாணவர்களும் அந்த உறுதி மொழியைத் தற்போது எடுத்துக் கொண்டுள்ளனர்.

இத்தனைக்கும் மாணவர்கள் அந்த உறுதி மொழியை ஆங்கிலத்தில் தான் வாசித்துள்ளனர். அந்த ஒட்டு மொத்த உறுதி மொழியில் ‘ மகரிஷி சரக் சபத்’ என்பதில் மட்டுமே அதிக பட்சமாக சமஸ்கிருதம் உள்ளதாகச் சொல்ல முடியும்.  அதிலும் மகரிஷி சரக் என்பது மருத்துவ நிபுணரின் பெயர். உறுதி மொழி என்பது சபதம் என்கின்ற அர்த்தத்தில் சபத் என்று குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. அந்த வார்த்தையை என சுலபமாக ஆங்கிலத்தில் மாற்றிக் கொள்ளலாம்.

எனவே இதில் எங்கிருந்து சமஸ்கிருத திணிப்பு வந்தது? உலக முழுவதிலும் நாடுகள் ஹிப்போகிராட் உறுதி மொழியைத் தவிர்த்து வருகின்றன. அந்த உறுதி  மொழியில் பல மாற்றங்களைக் கொண்டு வந்துள்ளன. அதே போல் மத்திய அரசும் நமது கல்வித் துறையை இந்திய மயமாக்கி வருகிறது. அதிலும் நமது நாட்டில் ஆயுர்வேதம், சித்தா உள்ளிட்ட பண்பட்ட மருத்துவ முறைகள் பல நூறாண்டுகளாக உலக அளவில் சிறந்து விளங்கி வருகின்றன. இந்திய மருத்துவத் துறை சுமார் மூன்றாயிர வருட பாரம்பரியம் மிக்கது.

எனவே  நமக்குச் சம்பந்தமில்லாத கிரேக்க உறுதி மொழிக்கு மாற்றாக, நமது பெருமையைச் சொல்லும் இந்திய உறுதி மொழியை ஏற்பது எப்படித் தவறாகும்? சுதந்திரம் பெற்று எழுபத்தைந்து ஆண்டுகள் ஆன பின்னரும், இந்திய மயமாக்கல் செய்வது தவறா? சபத் என்கின்ற ஒற்றை வார்த்தை சமஸ்கிருத திணிப்பாகுமா? அதை மத்திய அரசு எங்கே திணித்தது?

ஆகையால் இந்த விசயத்தில் திமுக மீண்டும் மொழி அரசியல் செய்கிறது. மக்கள் உண்மையைப் புரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

( Dinamalar, May 3,2022)