Govt denies that some schools not teaching regional languages

Rebutting charges that some schools were teaching Sanskrit but not the regional languages, HRD Minister Prakash Javedkar today said the government has not imposed any language on any student in the counrtry.
He was responding to K K Ragesh of CPI(M) in the Rajya Sabha who said some schools were not teaching the regional language, but Sanskrit.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Ragesh said Sanskrit was being made compulsary in schools.
"Governemnt is trying to make Sanskrit compulsary up to Class X," the CPI(M) member said, demanding the HRD Minister's response.
To this, Javedkar replied that he has said several times that "we are not imposing any language on any student" and the schools follow the 3-Indian language formula. He also stressed that no language has been made compulsory.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said Sanskrit too is an Indian language.

Earlier, Sanjeev Kumar (JMM) alleged that tribals were being killed or made to surrender in the name of eliminating the Naxals. Referring to the killing of one Motilal Baske in Jharkhand, Kumar sought an enquiry into the matter.
Agreeing with him, D Raja (CPI) said it was a serious issue.
Vijila Sathyananth (AIADMK) demanded that the government should not go ahead with the privatisation of the Salem steel plant in Tamil Nadu. She said the state-owned company should be given a chance to improve and turnaround.
In his mention, Tiruchi Siva (DMK) demanded that GST rate on resturants should be lowered from the current 28 per cent, and sanitary napkins should be taken out of the ambit of the new indirect tax regime.