“The debate between public and private schools has raged for long. This is a false hiatus. Societies with rising aspirations need both equity and excellence. Seeking inclusiveness while ensuring acceptable outcomes is invariably challenging. Public policies must be designed to harmonise a possible asymmetry.”
NK Singh, former member of Parliament, on how the RTE Act and bias against private schools have been disastrous for learning outcomes (Times of India, October 5)
“Both the BJP and Congress are expressions of the people of India... I will never say that I want to finish the BJP... they can say that about the Congress, but I cannot say that about them. I’ll fight the BJP, but never not respect its existence.”
Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice-president, at a rally in poll-bound Gujarat (October 9)
“Why do people have to wear their patriotism on their sleeve? People go to a movie theatre for undiluted entertainment. Society needs that entertainment. When a court mandates, the question arises then why restrict it to movies. Why not drama and other public places?... Where will this moral policing stop?”
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud of the Supreme Court, hearing a petition seeking recall of its order making it mandatory for movie halls to play the national anthem (October 23)
“Teachers only ask girls to ‘be careful’ as boys, of course, have no izzat. Only we shoulder that burden.”
Reena, a MCA student in Gurgaon (Outlook, October 23)
“An unpatriotic Left that looks up to another country than to tradition, the corruption of Congress from the party of freedom movement to being restricted to a single family; and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the country’s backyard, are major contributors to rise of jingoism in the country.”
Ramachandra Guha, well-known author, speaking at the Bangalore Literature Festival (October 28)