Shimla: Holding the union cabinet decision to transfer 67 schools run by Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry for Tibetans to Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as a gross violation of the constitution, Bharat Raksha Samity has stated that a decision compromising with the sovereignty of the country would be challenged before the courts.
Talking to reporters here Satish Kumar Singh, president Bharat Raksha Samity a little while ago demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh review the 10th January, 2013 cabinet decision and have it annulled because it not only had grave implications of creating a state within a state but was something that had been turned down twice earlier by the union government.
He said that the Tibetan Government in Exile has been seeking control of schools runs by Central Tibetan Schools Administration (CTSA) since 1980, when the demand first arose but the then prime minister Indira Gandhi firmly turned it down on security reasons.
The demand again came up when Arjun Singh was HRD minister from 2004-2009 but was again turned down, said Singh.
“Should the government not withdraw the decision, we are prepared to challenge it in the courts, including the Supreme Court,” said Singh.
Drawing attention to India being a soft state, he said that status of Tibetan Government in Exile running a parallel government within the Indian union, with its own functional parliament and a Supreme Court, was itself an infringement on the Indian Constitution.
Now handing over Government of India property worth thousands of crores to this entity was firmly establishing a state within a state, he added.
Singh pointed out that most of the 67 schools were located on the sensitive Himalayan belt and were within 10 minutes of flying time from Tibet which is firmly under the control of China.
Handing over these schools to CTA, who retain the refugee status and are considered foreigners, under law cannot buy land or property in India, he said.
Singh also said that the union government decision to hand over landed property to foreigners without consulting the respective state governments was questionable.
He pointed out that section 118 of HP Land Reforms and Tenancy Act, the Uttar Pradesh Zamindhari Abolition Act and Uttarakhand Land Act barred foreigners from buying or owning property in their respective states.
He added that the union government contention that the decision would help to potentially save Rs 69.29 crore over a 5 year period was a fallacy to justify an unconstitutional decision.
The January cabinet decision had declared that the union government would provide CTA Rs 43 crore annually plus an annual increment of 5 percent and the transfer would benefit 2220 residential students and 6455 day scholars in these schools.
The CTSA schools are to be transferred to Department of Education of CTA, or any other society run by CTA over three year period.
CTSA is a society established in 1961 for establishing, managing and running schools for educating the children of Tibetan refugees who migrated to India.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
S.K.singh should clear his stand why he is taking much interest in this matter.If he is so worried about indian sovereignty ,he should also raise a matter of Bangladeshi refugees who had/has been settled/ settling in India. I think he is playing a card against Indian Employees.
Sh.S.K.Singh has raised very genuine & real points in the intrest of indian employees and security purpose of the country. I do not agree with the statement given by a teacher. He should go ahead for the right goal.
ye bilkul bakwas hai S k singh kewal uljhane ki rajniti karte hai.
S. k . Singh should stop such dirty politics.
First of all S.K singh should understand that it is academic Institution where prime concern should be taken to education .if one educated speaks such a rubbish things without having proper knowledge and influence given by some other uneducated and sick mind. This school is made especially for Tibetan for their future betterment with some objectives. When all and most of scholars and educationist of indian have found that managing these schools done by CTSA and teachers teaching from long time has shown consequently bad result as well as bad management. If we discuss each things then there are lots of bad stories to tell. All in all they are failed to keep the main objectives and they are just passing time and students are suffering most.we can see Indian government is spending lots of money for upbringing Tibetan children but what is happening on ground. Therefor with the view of many scholars and politician this decision has been taken. We are Dalai lama people .we are god fearing people . Dalai lama is not just god and leader of Tibet only but he is leader of whole world . Whole world is considering him.
We believe in law of karma .request all the concern people to not delay on this handing over issue. As it is saying better late then never. Jai Barat ,jai Tibet.
The Tibetan communities are living in exile in our country as a beggars, gamblers & black-marketer of Indian goods/products and involved in anti-national activities in our country. and their status was also refugees. They have no Indian citizenship. Now, their status has grown-up and become very rich and the main motto of giving free education to them has already been achieved. Now, the Indian-government should closed either transfer these Tibetan-schools to the concerned state government or emerged in KVS/NVS Departments for the education of poor Indian children in the country How can Indian government release huge & a lot of funds for the misused whereas our Indian children are illiterates due to lack of education facilities.This is ridiculous.
S.k Singh should think and speak. CTA is not a government first and plz don’t try to brain wash people . Such a practices can not give good output rather create problem internally .DON’T PLAY DIRTY POLITICS.
I agree there are multiple perspectives to look at a situation. but look having an entire knowledge is very important. Tibetans are not asking for owning the land, neither to disown the Indian students in these transferred school. I suggest you go in any one school and ask a student, which teacher teaches better? which administration is catering better to the needs of school and children? under which administration they are feeling loved and cared? Under which administration are they properly fed? The students in these schools are mostly coming from poor background lacking with education guidance and attention. I am a teacher in CST school Shimla and I know the ground reality. Tibetans do not want to capture any land or post any threat to Indians. We rather feel teaching and helping Indians in need are our way of redemption. Whenever there is a problem, we do our best. Not because we are rich but because we believe in generosity. So please, look from all perspectives and balance out what is more virtuous. Namaste!