40,000 Hindus in Bengal's madrassas
by Ajitha Menon

     Kolkata: If you think madrassas are all about imparting religious education to Muslim students only, think again, especially if you are in West Bengal. For here, the madrassas have an entirely different story to tell. From computers to English, and science to Bengali, 40,000 Hindus learn it all along with Muslim students. Adding to it is the fact that many non-Muslim teachers are part of the faculty in these madrassas in the State. Transcending the barriers of caste, creed and religion, these madrassas impart education to students from socially and economically backward sections. Taking a distinctive route from the conventional methods of education, these madrassas are training students with different cultural backgrounds, like students learn in any general school elsewhere in the country. Students of these 508 madrassas in the State are taught in a co- educational system. They follow the curriculum like education board in West Bengal. Arabic is taught as an additional subject besides Bengali, English, History, Geography, Science and even computers.

    "I like to study Arabic. I have very good friends here. I eat and play with them. I like it very much," said Birendra Kumar Sau. Teachers working here feel religion is not a hindrance and it is just to earn a living that they have preferred to teach at Madrassas. "I am teaching because I wanted to work, be independent. There was no issue choosing between a Madrassa or a school for teaching. I wanted a job and I came here as a teacher. That's why the Madrassa factor did not figure. It was just another educational institution," said Namita Mitra, a teacher, Akra Girls' Madrassa. The feeling of teaching or learning under one national umbrella leaves behind any thought of being associated with different religious belief. "Culturally there are no differences because basically we are all Indians.

     There is no separate Hindu, Muslim or Christian ambience - its an Indian ambience. If I go into a Hindu situation or an Islamic situation, it still remains and Indian situation, so there is no alienation. I do not find any problem," added Mitra. The distinctive educational system stands high as a paradigm of communal harmony. Teachers and students exchange views and knowledge irrespective of any feeling ill will. The food is shared commonly, study together and participate in various activities. "The Madrassa education system here is a symbol of communal harmony. Earlier, I used to work in a school and had a different opinion about Madrassa. But now I find no differences. Here too, the Hindu-Muslim teachers work together as they did in the school. We participate in classes, picnics together, we share each others food, eat from the same lunch boxes. Students also do the same. One cannot identify whether a teacher or a student is a Hindu or a Muslim," said Parveen Arjumand Bano, Headmistress, Akra Girls' Madrassa. For most of the Hindu students, the papers in Arabic and Islamic studies don't pose a problem because they are allowed to answer in Bengali. In fact, Hindu students even do better than the Muslim students in these papers. Festivals like "Saraswati Puja" and "Milad-ul-Nabi" are celebrated in the Madrassas together by Hindus and Muslims.

     Students also participate in cultural fests organised by other schools and even those that are being run by Ramkrishna Mission, a Hindu organisation. Meanwhile, the West Bengal Board of Madrassa Education takes pride for being the premiere body which varies from all the Madrassa in its approach towards education. "Our units are of five types. First, it is open for all the students irrespective of their religions. It is a socialised education. There are Hindu teachers and selection of the members of the Managing Committee is done in a democratic way where teachers and guardians participate. Moreover, the enrolment of girls is more than usually in other places. There is provision for co-education system which one will not find anywhere in India," said Dr. Abdus Sattar, President of West Bengal Board of Madrassa Education. The standard X certificates are equivalent to those given out in other Government schools.

    Moreover, the West Bengal Board of Madrassa Education holds the distinction of being one-of-its kind that is a member of the Council of Boards of School Education in India and is recognized by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT). The Madrassas in Bengal have also earned a name for themselves for being the only institution in the country to carry out polio eradication and immunization programme in collaboration with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). According to State-wide statistics, 12 per cent of the about 3.29 lakh students in West Bengal's Madrassas are Hindus but in some areas like in Jalpaiguri, Nadia, North 24 Parganas more than 25- 50 per cent students are Hindus. Madrassas are provided a budgetary support of rupees 125 crores from the Government of West Bengal for development. In near future, the West Bengal Madrassas are planning to introduce vocational training courses, programs to reduce drop out rates and introduction of sex education.

Formalisation of nuke pact will take time: Bush (Go To Top)

     Washington: US President George W. Bush who is to visit India and Pakistan in the first week of March said on Wednesday that formalising and giving final shape to the landmark July 18, 2005 Indo-US civilian nuclear deal would take some more time and patience. Addressing the Asia Society on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee celebration here, Bush in his nearly 40-minute long speech said that he was quite aware about the anxieties in Washington and New Delhi over the future of the nuclear deal. Commenting on the deal he said "It was not an easy decision for both India and US to make. It will take time and patience and we are working on to have a credible and transparent plan of separating the civilian nuclear facilities and placing them to International safeguards". Lauding India for its diversity and pluralism with a Muslim President (APJ Abdul Kalam) and a Sikh Prime Minister (Dr. Manmohan Singh) in a Hindu majority country Bush said that he is looking forward to meet the Indian Prime Minister.

    Describing India as "a global leader" Bush outlined five broad regions in which the two nations are engaging as strategic partners. These were 1) combating global Islamic terrorism, 2) supporting the growth of democracy all over the world, 3) promoting global prosperity through free and fair trade, 4) improving global environment and health and 5) meeting Indias energy needs. Elaborating on India's energy and energy security requirement, Bush said that America has initiated Advance Energy Initiative by which it will try to develop and provide countries like India to use alternatives to oil such as the use of hydrogen power and clean nuclear fuel, thereby making its economy less dependent on oil and reduce the pressure on the global oil market. Emphasizing on the importance of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, Bush said that through this countries like Great Britain, France, Japan and Russia could help India with by supplying much needed nuclear fuels and also help in recycling its nuclear waste. In return India has to place its civilian nuclear facilities to the International safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

     On concerns in the US over the outsourcing of jobs to India, the US President said: "Losing job is traumatic but rather than responding to protectionist policies I believe in educationist policies that would make our workers more skilled". Enumerating, India as a growing market for the American companies, he said that strong Indian economy is good for US as it would enlarge the fifty million strong middle class Indian market and quipped: "Indian youth have also begun to like the taste of American fast foods". As far as Pakistan is concerned, Bush reiterated Islamabad's role as a key ally in its global war on terror. He also highlighted the need for restoring the civilian democracy in Pakistan saying that the true test of this would emerge in the free and fair conduct of elections in that country. At the end of his speech he said that both India and Pakistan have a historic opportunity for bringing about a lasting peace in the region by resolving the difficult issue of Kashmir. That both countries were engaged in a constructive composite dialogue on several bilateral issues since the middle of 2004, was reflective of the desire of both leadership, to have stable and normal ties in the sensitive South Asian region.

Maruti employee shares allotment okayed (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Central Government has approved a proposal to allot up to 20 shares each to employees of leading car maker Maruti Udyog Ltd, Finance Minister P.Chidambaram said on Wednesday. The shares would be allotted at 660 rupees per share. "The CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) approved the proposal to offer 39,777 equity shares in favour of the employees of Maruti Udoug Limited who have responded to our offer of 20 shares per employee at the rate of 660 rupees per share," said Chidambaram. Chidambaram added that the transactions would be finalised by the end of February 2006. The share sale came after the government sold its eight percent equity in the company last month. Maruti is 54.2 percent-owned by Suzuki Motor Corp., Japan's largest minicar maker. Maruti, India's largest carmaker, has announced to invest 27.18 billion rupees by March 2008 to roll out new models. The automaker makes top-selling models such as the mini Maruti 800 and Alto hatchback. Its cheap, fuel-efficient vehicles are often the first car many Indian families buy. Maruti sold 5,36,301 vehicle units in the financial year 2004-05, the highest ever annual sale since it began operations.

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