kriticulture

By Joga Singh                    The assertions made in "AT THE CROSSROADS OF LANGUAGE" by Geetanjali Bhagat and others (The Tribune, Chandigarh, Monday April 25, 2011, p. 9) are good evidence that many people even working in the field of English teaching are living in a mythical linguistic world. Since the issue is of paramount importance to society at large, these myths need to be revealed. The honorable commentators make following assertions: i) that English "has become one of the most important skills for advancement"; ii) that "A major reason for the rural students not being able to speak well in the English language is their late exposure to the language...." and; iii) that "we should have a uniform system in which all children, rural and urban, must have access to education in English medium...." Firstly, if English was to be so essential a skill for advancement, India, then, would have b...

By Birinder Pal Singh The Foreign Secretary talked of the ‘Mohali Spirit’ which is supposed to usher India and Pakistan into a new era of friendship and peace. It was for this reason that the chief executives of the two governments were accosted by the ruling party high command of the host nation. It is a political gimmick on the part of both governments. I wonder how a match generating so much heat and pressure could lead us to think of peace, leave aside realising it on ground. The symbolism all around is suggestive of negative consequences.             Was there any one from the Indian side who supported the Pakistani flag or symbol on her face or body like it was done for our team. How could one do that? If someone dared, s/he would be branded a traitor and an anti-national. No Indian could shout in favour of the Pakistani team for the same reason. Reading into the highly charged emotions, I remarked to my young nephew, a cric...

By Badri Raina First things first, O departed emperor of zest and   bare-footed laughter: it was not the brainless bigots who exiled you, but we who claim patent on sanity. Unlike your so resplendent going, we have been dead several times over from fear, trembling, and sensible doing. Thus, knowing better, it was foolish of you to be disappointed with us. But now that we are safe from you, ‘civil society’ will surely shout for a monument   where our wares we may profitably pursue. O Alexander of the art world, like him you passed in exile with work in hand; like him, in genius and in folly, you were always grand. He soaked Grecian nectars at Aristotle’s feet; you became the best of Hindus from lifelong love of the street. Those that made Socrates choose hemlock were not Greek; those that lost you home were not Hindus. Thus, on your flying horse the Greeks called Pegasus you soar,   but with eye still on the wicked world, that, with brush still in hand, you wish to ...

By Beena Sarwar 09 June, 2011 from Countercurrents.org Link   T he murder of professor Saba Dashtiyari in Quetta last week, coming on the heels the killing of investigative journalist Saleem Shehzad, is yet another sign of an ongoing `genocide' of progressive Pakistani intellectuals and activists. `Genocide' generally means the deliberate destruction of an ethnic group or tribe. In this context, it applies to the tribe of Pakistanis who have publicly proclaimed or implicitly practiced the enlightenment agenda of freedom of conscience. They may have very different, even opposing, political views but they are people who are engaged knowingly or unknowingly with spreading `enlightenment' values. Out to undermine or eliminate members of this tribe is the `establishment' – defined here as the sections of state long engaged in establishing Pakistan's "Islamic" identity and determining the "national interest". They decide who is a patri...