Lucknow | The Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved a draft ordinance through which the private universities around the state would have to give an undertaking disallowing “any anti-national activity” in their campus.
The state government through the ordinance is trying to bring private universities under the umbrella act that provides for incorporating nationalism, social and international harmony, national integration, secularism and moral values among their objectives.
The draft says universities will have to abide by the promise they had made during their foundation as per the law, that is to “preserve the secular, democratic fabric and aspire for universal brotherhood and tolerance.”
Opposing the order UPCC general secretary and spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi said, “The hidden purpose behind the law is to create fear and pressure on educational institutions for foisting RSS ideology.”
“The law, when enacted, will act as the sword of Damocles and the universities will constantly face the threat of de-recognition,” he said, adding it was “sort of dictatorship.” He said educational system will not improve if the government controls institutions and if there is no scope for freedom of speech.
He said it was an attempt by the Yogi Adityanath government to exert greater control over private universities and the education system, particularly given the lack of clarity over what defines “anti-national activities”.
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