PMO directs ministries to counter Cong charges against HRD dept

Seeking to counter allegations levelled by Congress in its report card on Modi government, the HRD ministry is preparing a point-by-point rebuttal on charges that include infringing on the autonomy of higher educational institutions and a cut in the education budget.

The HRD ministry would highlight the fact that the budget cuts would have little impact on the big-ticket programmes as they are still at an initial stage of implementation.

The argument would also hinge around the fact that states have greater resources to implement schemes following devolution of resources to the states in keeping with recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, officials said.

On the first anniversary of the NDA government, Congress had released a 42-page booklet 'Ek Saal, Desh Badhaal' levelling charges against various ministries including many charges against the HRD ministry.

The ministry's reactions are being prepared in consultation with the PMO, which has asked all ministries to counter the Congress charges.

Countering the allegations that IIT Delhi Director R Shevgaonkar and chairperson of IIT Bombay's board of governors Anil Kakodkar had stepped down because of interference, the ministry is likely to state the fact that they were under no pressure at any point of time.

The ministry had earlier dismissed Kakodkar's allegations that due procedures were not followed in appointment of three IITs directors.

On Shevgaonlar's resignation, which is yet to be accepted, the ministry had contended that he was involved in setting up of an international technology institute in Mauritius overlooking rules, an enquiry of which is underway.

Countering allegations of "politically coloured appointments" in bodies like Indian Council of Historical Research and saffronisation of education, the ministry is likely to point out the political leaning of some of the members, officials said.

Other charges levelled by Congress against the ministry include celebration of good governance day on Christmas last year, separate canteen for vegetarian students in IITs and scrapping of German as third language in Kendriya Vidyalaya last year.

While the ministry had dismissed allegations of such a separate canteen, it has maintained that replacing German with Sanskrit as the third language was done in keeping with the three language formula.