Colleges in Madhya Pradesh to conduct sessions on Rajiv Gandhi

The state government will observe 75th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi the whole year, as ‘Yuva Sankalp Varsh’ by organising different programmes, competitions and inviting experts to inform the students about Rajiv Gandhi’s life, ideology and policies.

Updated on: Aug 18, 2019, 01:15:46 IST

Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By Shruti Tomar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to introduce special sessions in government as well as private colleges to teach students about the “life, ideology and policies” of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, a state higher education department official said. The decision was taken on Friday.

Madhya Pradesh government will observe 75th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi the whole year, as ‘Yuva Sankalp Varsh’ by organising different programmes, competitions and inviting experts to inform the students about Rajiv Gandhi’s life (HT PHOTO/FROM HT ARCHIVES)

The state government will observe 75th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi the whole year, as ‘Yuva Sankalp Varsh’ by organising different programmes, competitions and inviting experts to inform the students about Rajiv Gandhi’s life, ideology and policies, said the official. The programmes will be held from August 20, birth anniversary of Late Rajiv Gandhi to May 21, 2020, his death anniversary.

The motive is to make the students aware of work done and policies introduced by Rajiv Gandhi as PM, said the state higher education and sports minister Jeetu Patwari. “Bharat Ratna late Rajiv Gandhiji was not only a creator of new India but also a crusader of communal harmony but the students were misinformed about him so we will make the students aware about the life, vision and deed through different programmes,” he added.

Higher education department released an order to vice-chancellors and principals of all government and private colleges of MP, the higher education department officer cited above said. Bhopal-based Barkatullah University vice-chancellor RJ Rao said, “The programme will be initiated on August 20 with a harmony run,” he added.

However, BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, “It’s good to inform about the former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi but students should also make aware of other great leaders. The Congress-led state government is repeating what they are doing since Independence. They are just promoting a family by ignoring many other great leaders.”

Educationist Professor Zamiruddin said, “It’s a political gesture. Every political party is trying to highlight the achievements of its leaders. It’s a tug of war between political parties. It’s good to highlight great leaders. The students should be taught the truth and the government should allow students to make their own ideology.”

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

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.