Chola-Era Sceptre in Parliament Is an Attempt to Rehabilitate Manusmriti in the National Imagination
The current regime deeply understands the power of political symbolism, which it uses to push its ideological agenda. For Hindutva, the spectre represents the 'ancient' civilisational values while the constitution is a banal and borrowed document, alien to Indian civilisation.
The installation of a replica of a Chola-era sceptre in the new parliament building has sparked an interesting debate because it has inscribed a cultural artefact with immense political meaning by resignifying it as a symbol of sovereignty. The narrative being conjured to legitimise its installation is one of ‘civilisational recuperation’, which basically states that the sceptre is a symbol of the civilisational roots of our nation-state, and by its installation, the current regime is reigniting the civilisational consciousness and pride which was sought to be extinguished under the Nehruvian consensus.
21/06/2023
Infra, Faculty Shortages Hinder Enrolment, Research At New IITs: CAG Report https://www.indiaspend.com/development/infra-faculty-shortages-hinder-enrolment-research-at-new-iits-report-865617
while all IITs receive significant funding from government sources, the number and cost of non-government-sponsored projects were low for the new IITs. Only IIT Mandi, IIT Patna, IIT Ropar, and IIT Hyderabad were able to attract 3.5% to 14.31% of funding from non-government sources.
In terms of patents filed and obtained, the new IITs are yet to catch up with the older institutes.
Overall, the audit highlighted areas of concern in research activities at the IITs, including the need to attract more non-government funding, improve the patent filing and obtaining process and increase research publications.
Comment: Is the funding being privatised or the patents a result of the base infrastructure and knowledge base being privatised… in the name of no-govt. funding.
Ladakh Delegation Gears Up for Crucial Talks with MoS Home in Delhi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozFP30dn1-0 The Wire Jun 19, 2023
After a long-standing lull in communication, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is poised to reengage with the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in a bid to address the pressing concerns plaguing Ladakh. On June 19th, a six-member delegation, representing a diverse range of social, political, trade, student, and religious groups from Ladakh, will converge in Delhi to meet MoS Home, Nityanand Rai.
The upcoming meeting holds great significance, as it marks the resumption of a dialogue that had remained dormant for a staggering 21 months. The last official talks between the MHA and the representatives of LAB and KDA took place on August 29, 2021, in Leh, under the guidance of Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai.
The six-member delegation includes Thupstan Chhewang himself, two-time Lok Sabha member from Ladakh, along with Chering Dorjey and Nawang Rigzin Jora, former cabinet ministers in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, all representing LAB. The KDA will be represented by Qamar Ali Akhoon, former Cabinet Minister in the previous J&K Government, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie, a former MLA, and Sajjad Kargili, a prominent social-political activist from Kargil, as well as a representative from Anjuman Isna Asharia Kargil.
In the video Tikender Panwar, a former deputy mayor of Shima speaks with Sajjad Kargili, a member of the LAB. Kargili speaks about the collective determination to pursue their shared objectives. The four-point agenda that they intend to address during the talks includes advocating for full-fledged statehood for Ladakh, safeguarding constitutional rights under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, expediting the recruitment process and establishing a Public Services Commission (PSC) for Ladakh, as well as securing separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.