Lawfully yours: By Retired Justice K Chandru | Circular on caste report partial, broader directives, societal changes still needed

Circular on caste report partial, broader directives, societal changes still needed

While your recommendations and the state government's directive are a positive step in addressing teachers' promotion of caste animosity, deeper issues persist in Tamil Nadu's schools, including 'unidentified' students bullying others, the need for confidentiality regarding students' caste identities, the presence of caste-based affinities among teachers, and the promotion of caste-based conflict in schools. Don't we require systemic changes, increased surveillance, and strict enforcement of confidentiality to address these issues and foster a truly inclusive and harmonious school environment?

— Murugesan, Tiruchy

My report, making certain recommendations on how to reduce caste differences and violence in educational institutions, was handed over to the Chief Minister on June 18, last year. Though certain announcements were made in an ad hoc manner, this is the first time a department circular referred to the Committee's recommendations.

Preceding the circular, a high-level meeting was held by the Chief Secretary, following which the government directed the department to issue the current circular.

Beyond the contents of the circular, which pertains to disciplining the teachers, my report has made several other recommendations. Hope the government will come out with its decision in the near future.

Ultimately, as I had mentioned in my report, caste problems can't be solved at the school level alone.

A true federal structure will not break the union, but will only strengthen it

Almost all of our neighbouring countries have gone through turmoil, the Gen Z revolution in Nepal being the latest in the series. Do you think the Constitution framers' decision to build a strong central government was the reason why India has been largely peaceful and stable? The nation is withstanding all the pressures, including many separatist movements and the right-wing’s recent oral tirade for revising the Constitution as per their religious beliefs. Would more state autonomy have led India to more separatist sentiments, unrest, or unstable government as we see in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or Pakistan?

— K Sivanthan, Kilkattalai, Chennai

India is a union of states. It may not be fully a federal structure, but a quasi-federal structure. It has a strong Centre with all the powers to keep it together. The demand for states’ autonomy is not to go away separately but to do more meaningful work for people. A true federal structure will not break the union but will only strengthen it. During any period of crisis, India has stood united. Sharing power is a form of democratisation. Without the sharing of powers, the elected state government will be reduced to a glorified municipality, which was not the intention of the Constitution makers.