'MP government vision paper attempt at communalisation'

The vision paper of the personality development cell (PDC) envisioned by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government with its clear emphasis on Hindu culture is threatening to snowball into a major controversy.

Updated on: Aug 21, 2014, 24:02:31 IST

Hindustan Times | By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

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The vision paper of the personality development cell (PDC) envisioned by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government with its clear emphasis on Hindu culture is threatening to snowball into a major controversy.

The Opposition Congress is planning a state-wide agitation over the setting up of PDCs across colleges in Madhya Pradesh.

"This move is a clear indication that Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government is not a secular government. BJP government is instilling Hindutva in the young generation through PDC to fulfill the RSS agenda. This step of higher education department will communalise our youth," said Congress state vice president Manak Agrawal.

State higher education minister Deepak Joshi, however, countered the charge saying, "Students are not aware of our rich culture and tradition. They don't have idols to follow. It would now be possible through PDC."

The vision paper includes examples from the Hindu scriptures, Ramcharit Manas and Vivekananda’s interpretation of the Mahabharata. It does not refer to any icon from the minority community.

Convener of the guardians’ guild, Zamiruddin said, "Religion is a matter of faith and it should be limited to the individual. Government should teach science and new developments."

Spokesperson of the Catholic Church in MP and Chhattisgarh, Father Johny PJ also commented that the vision paper should have included icons from all religion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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