In a revelation during the two-day 13th edition of The New Indian Express ThinkEdu Conclave 2024, presented by SASTRA University, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, claimed that former Supreme Court Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman's father and juniors were paid approximately ₹40 lakh despite not participating in a case, indicating conflict of interest. The governor contended that this financial transaction raises concerns as Justice Nariman continues to offer opinions critical of the governor despite his father Fali S Nariman not appearing in the case. The governor presented the gazette notification of the Kerala government sanctioning the amount as a proof during the discussion.
Speaking on Day 1 of the conclave on “Chancellors and State Universities: Defining the Role”, chaired by Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director of The New Indian Express, the governor said – “The father is receiving money and the son is giving opinions blasting the governor. This is not following the principle of natural justice.”
Addressing concerns about the politicization of educational institutions through political appointments, Governor Khan advocated for the President’s role in appointing chancellors to ensure the autonomy of universities. He cautioned against allowing executive powers to influence these appointments, citing potential adverse effects on national unity.
“Politically, India has been fragmented and there is no dearth of politicians who are swayed by this to get public support. They start pursuing things that are not very conducive to his stance in national unity. It was a very wise decision taken at that time to not vest the powers to appoint chancellor with the executive,” he said.
He commented on pending bills with governors, suggesting that they should be termed as money bills to facilitate the removal of governors as chancellors. He argued that the current practice of passing expenses to universities instead of obtaining the governor's prior approval for money bills is problematic.
“The purpose of the bills is to remove the governor as chancellor and give the authority to the government to appoint the Chancellors. Through this, the state will incur some expenditure and it should be called a money bill. Prior approval of the governor is needed for a money bill. To avoid this, they passed on the responsibility to meet the expenses to the universities. In my opinion, those bills are money bills,” he said.
In his opening remarks, Governor Khan discussed India's rich cultural heritage and its emphasis on knowledge and wisdom. He cited Arab historians' recognition of India's unique commitment to the pursuit and sharing of knowledge by having first chapter in the books from 10th and 11th century devoted to India. Additionally, he stressed the importance of avoiding a divisive approach to culture and embracing a universal vision.
“They say that there are five dominant cultures or civilizations in divide. The Iranian civilization is known for its majesty, the Chinese for their craftsmanship and obedience to the law and rulers, the Romans for their beauty and chivalry, and Turks for their bravery. India is the only civilization which is known for promoting knowledge and wisdom. We are ever devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and sharing of knowledge with others,” he said, quoting Rabindranath Tagore that India cannot achieve full independence unless it is recognised keeping the foundation in mind. He emphasised that while our commitment to acquiring knowledge remained steadfast, there has been a notable decline in our willingness to share that knowledge with others.
Highlighting the universal perspective embedded in our tradition, he asserted that cultures defined solely by race or religion tend to foster division by creating 'others.' “Our culture doesn't even leave out any mammals, birds, or plants. Because once you create others, others are to be feared. There is an instinct to fear, dominate, and exploit the other,” he said. Emphasizing the need for intellectual openness, he stressed the importance of exposing ourselves to diverse thoughts. According to him, without engaging in comparative study, crystallizing our thought processes becomes a challenging endeavor.
He lauded The New Indian Express for annually convening a conclave on education, breaking away from the prevailing trend where media groups often opt for sensational or controversial topics over substantive discussions.
Revive the Bhartiyatha, forgotten Indian rich heritage: Prabhu Chawla
During his address at the ThinkEdu Conclave in the city on Wednesday, Chawla passionately advocated for the revival of India's forgotten rich heritage. He stressed the significance of restoring national pride, delving into the profundity of the Vedas, and highlighting the enduring relevance of intellectual luminaries like Kautilya and Chanakya. “Revive the Bharat, which provided literature and scriptures to the whole world. Remove the divide between the elite and irrelevant education and bring relevant education which makes Bharat proud,” he said.
Reflecting on the impact of the National Education Policy, Chawla credited the discussions and ideas exchanged in the ThinkEdu platform for influencing certain aspects of the policy. “We started something that was not there at all. Education never got the priority that it got now,” he said.
Chawla expressed concern over significant portion of Indians who remain uneducated and uninformed, attributing this vulnerability to manipulation by the Western world. “As a newspaper organization, we bear a profound responsibility to spotlight the type of education that India truly requires. In the past, we excelled, yet the education system imposed upon us post-independence subjected us to mental enslavement. While physically liberated, our minds remained tethered to an educational paradigm shaped by foreign-authored books and literature—crafted not by Indians for India but by foreigners for India.”
Highlighting the pivotal role of education in empowering India, Chawla declared it as the singular subject capable of restoring the nation’s strength. He emphasized the importance of indigenizing Indian education to align with the country's illustrious past. Chawla lauded the conclave’s unique focus on constructive discussions, where participants engaged in debates not merely over ideology but more significantly over ideas to shape a better future for India.
Over the last decade, the ThinkEdu Conclave has hosted 25 sessions, totaling 200 hours, featuring 600 speakers including former President Pranab Mukherji and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, along with academicians and opinion makers. They fought over how to make India better, they fought over ideas not over ideology, he said.
