Looks like without application of mind, the officials of HAU, Hisar, acting upon the tips from their political controllers began an exercise of wiping out the impressions of Chaudhary Charan Singh from tangible objects associated with this institution.
Did you ever hear about the word 'toponym' ? It sound unfamiliar to those who work and communicate in Hindi language. It is associated with naming a place by its geographical location. For example we had named this institution 'Haryana Agriculture University', Hisar. But later, when political expediency became overt, the name was changed and Chaudhry Charan Singh' was suffixed. Nobody could exactly have an idea in what manner the benefits of change could be derived. The world over the name of not only institutions but scores of other built forms and facilities have been named after persons of prominence in public life to commemorate their contribution. So was the name 'Charan Singh' who was a public figure who had contributed a lot to the uplift of the farmers. But why not Chaudhary Chhotu Ram who was known by acronym 'Kisan Maseeha' and whose role in implementing schemes for the benefits of farmers in erstwhile Punjab left an indelible mark? Searching iconic figures of prominence and affixing their names to an object, item -tangible or intangible, becomes meaningless if politics comes into play about them. By this process, many get a feeling of elation and self-satisfaction whereas those that oppose or do not approve, protest. This is a socio-political manifestation of the process of installation and demolishing the iconic memories in public mind but history itself is a record that cannot be erased. The powerful always punish the dissenters. However, neither the powerful nor the dissenters can always be right in their assessment and approach and liable to err. To me it appears that we severely lacked thought processes that needed to have be invoked when naming public utilities and institutions and preferably settled for and easy process in which the ideas rested on human icons than the most suitable and secular objects. The whole of this affair stinks and gives a foul smell as if the reputation of a public institution is at stake. I don't think we can ever get rid of this practice.
Comments
Post a Comment