Eduardo cautions against Baba Ramdev's value education in schools
Says same was rejected earlier for being sectarian, communal and chauvinistic in nature
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Former Union minister of State for External Affairs Eduardo Faleiro on Tuesday cautioned the Goa government against adoption of Baba Ramdev’s curriculum of yoga training as ‘value education’ in government primary schools from the next academic year.
Addressing the media at Congress House in Panaji, Faleiro stated, “Yoga training is welcome. However, it should be completely dissociated from the proposed value education. Yoga training is a good thing but value education from this government is problematic."
He recalled that in 2000, the then NDA-led government had proposed a ‘National Curriculum Framework for School Education’ to introduce value education in schools, which was rejected by all opposition parties in the Parliament and in several states.
“The framework was opposed because it was sectarian, communal and chauvinistic in nature and because it contravened the constitutional mandates of secularism, equality and democracy,” he said while adding that the proposal should be analysed and discussed before being rejected.
The senior Congressman observed that it is the same ‘value education’ which is now sought to be re-introduced by the present Union government.
Faleiro suggested that instead of having religious education, the government should consider inter-religious education, which would show how the fundamental tenets propounded by all religions are the same while differences crop up only in terms of rituals.
He further criticised and opposed helitourism in villages of Salcete taluka.
“Tourism is meant to benefit locals economically, socially and environmentally. Follow Kerala’s example. They have a tourism policy for the benefit of the local people and boosting local specialities,” Faleiro said stressing that the tourists arrive in Goa for its calmness and not for helitourism.
Congress urged the government to develop basic infrastructure before branching out into fancier arenas such as this.
Faleiro also sought to comment on the drug menace in Goa in the backdrop of Goa emerging as a fulcrum of the world drug trade. “There is large enough team of ANC in Goa and they should function effectively to eliminate the drug menace in the State,” he said.
Congress further highlighted the failure of the BJP-led State government in shifting offshore casinos out of River Mandovi and criticised the government for taking upon itself the responsibility of finding new spots to shift these casinos.
