NEW DELHI – In a sharp criticism of Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat,Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir Minister Altaf Bukhari on Saturday saidthat the chief is not an educationist and since education is a statesubject, the government knows how to run schools, Indian Express hasreported.
The criticism came in the wake of the COAS statement, saying schooleducation system in government schools in J&K has been corrupted, and thatthey have two maps in classrooms: one of India and the other of J&K.
Bukhari told reporters, “Everyone has his own domain. Those who have nolink to education are talking about it. It is not a fair comment and we donot accept it.”
Bukhari said that the state has its own constitution and the Indianconstitution, similarly, every school has a state map as it is needed toteach students about the state. Bukhari said, “There are two flags in thestate, we have J&K constitution and India’s constitution also. Every schoolhas a state map as it is needed to teach about the state.”
On Friday, Army Chief Rawat, while addressing the annual press conferenceon the eve of Army Day, had raised concerns about social media and schoolsin the state playing a major role in radicalising youth.
General Rawat said, “If you go to any Kashmir school you will find two maps— one of India and the other of J&K. Why should there be a separate map ofJ&K! Then there should be a map of every state. This leads children intobelieving that I am part of this country, but I also have a separateidentity.
The basic grassroot problem lies here, the way the education system ingovernment schools in J&K has been corrupted. Because the teachers comingto these schools have also so been brought up in the same educationsystem.” He added that the education system in the state needs to be givena relook.
Bukhari in a harsh attack on the Army chief said, “Let him (Army chief) dohis own job, I am doing mine and if the borders are protected, theincidents of violence will come down… perhaps they are not doing their jobproperly because of which we are suffering.”
Stating that “terrorism in J&K is not over”, Gen Rawat had said that theArmy will shift its focus to north Kashmir this year, after having focusedon south Kashmir last year. This, he said, will lead to cutting off routesof infiltration used by militants after crossing the LoC, from where theymove to south Kashmir.