Fr mascarhenas , the principal of st xaviers college sent an email to all the students about how the Gujarat model of development is not correct .etc etc . And lowered the dignity of his office . A teacher is supposed to put forward a studied analysis of both sides of an issue and then encourage the students to read , study , evaluate , think freely and arrive at their own intelligent assessment . Thats what a good teacher does . He doesnt point in one direction favoured by himself and behave like a political stooge . Reading his email took me back in time when I was a student of Elphinstone college , an institution as prestigious as xaviers . I was a student leader and the elected chairman of the students council ( called the Hamill Sabha ) . The English department had organized a debate on should we bring back the British to rule us again ? I felt that the subject was an insult to the lakhs of martyrs who had laid down their lives in our freedom struggle . So as a student leader I protested and asked the department concerned to cancel the debate . I was called by the head of the English department , the legendary prof m.v. Rajadhakshya , who sat with me and explained the importance of debating every issue , no matter how unpleasant it may sound , from both the angles. Which is why we have debates , he said . Its not for me to say if I agree with this or not or to take a side regardless of my own personal inclination , he said . I merely wish to put forward a statement so that you students are encouraged to think for yourselves without being nudged in any one direction. So , he said , go out , participate in the debate , prepare an intelligent rebuttal and win the debate . Thats what a great teacher does , fr mascarhenas , and I wish you were taught by the likes of the great rajadhyaksha sir . Then you wouldnt have sent an email like that . Everybody has the freedom of speech in their individual capacity , not in their official capacity, sir . And a footnote. A college that ,during the admission process , proudly and officially displays a board that says if you are a Christian student then you can get 10% or so marks lower than a Hindu, Muslim , Parsee or others ,and still get admitted to this college , is not a shining example of secularism , is it fr mascernhas ?
Posted on: Fri, 25 Apr 2014 01:43:08 +0000