POLITICIAN AND PLAGIARISM SCANDALS

GERMAN MINISTER SCHAVAN

QUITS OVER 'PLAGIARISM'

www.bbc.co.uk/ - German Education Minister Annette Schavan has resigned after a university stripped her of her doctorate for plagiarism. Duesseldorf's Heinrich Heine University voted last Tuesday to remove her doctorate following a review. Ms Schavan, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, insisted she would still fight the university's ruling. In 2011, Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg also quit after allegations he plagiarised his thesis. Johanna Wanka, the culture and science minister of the state of Lower Saxony, has been appointed as Ms Schavan's successor. 
Addressing Mrs Merkel with the words "Dear Angela,", Ms Schavan thanked the chancellor for her friendship. "I think today is the right day to leave my ministerial post and to concentrate on my duties as a member of parliament," the 57-year-old said. She explained that her main priority was to protect her department and the government.

"First the nation, then the party, then myself," she said, citing words used by former state prime minister Erwin Teufel. "When an education minister sues a university, then that comes with strains, for my office, for the ministry, and for the Christian Democrats. I want to avoid just that." The university of Dusseldorf decided to look into Ms Schavan's 1980 doctoral thesis after an anonymous blogger raised questions about it. 
The faculty committee found she had "systematically and intentionally" copied parts of her thesis, Person and Conscience. In a statement declaring the doctorate invalid and withdrawing it from Ms Schavan, the faculty head Bruno Bleckmann said they had "decided by secret ballot, by 12 votes to two, with one abstention". Ms Schavan had been scathing in her criticism of Mr Guttenberg when the scandal of his plagiarism broke. Ms Schavan said she accepted the resignation "with a heavy heart".

German Education Minister Annette Schavan announced her resignation on Saturday, just days after a university moved to strip her of her Ph.D. title in a plagiarism scandal surrounding her doctoral dissertation. "As a doctoral candidate, she systematically and deliberately presented intellectual efforts throughout her entire dissertation that were not her own. She was guilty of "intentional deception through plagiarism," stated the faculty council of the University of Düsseldorf. Schavan is the second member of Merkel's cabinet to step down because of plagiarism allegations. In 2011, Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg stepped down after he was found to have plagiarized large sections of his Ph.D. thesis. This world is full of cheaters who take advantage of the civilization to live “a life of leisure and pleasure” by deceiving other people.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Human life is for only a few days. Still, it contains many troubles. In this very short life one should sincerely worship Lord Hari. The “civilization” you talk about is only a way to cheat the soul. Therefore I say that this “civilization” is only another word for “cheating”. When men walk on the path of truth, they are simple and honest. When men’s actions are a collection of lies, their hearts are full of cunning, their deeds are sins, and their words are empty flattery. That is your “civilization”. True civilization is not like that. In true civilization men are honest and sincere. Nowadays people merely hide the wickedness in their hearts, and that hiding they call “civilization”. The true meaning of “civilization” is “honesty and goodness”. What you call “civilization” is only cheating and wickedness.  Civilization that is sinless is found only among the Vaishnavas.

Śrīla Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thākura : 
Jaiva-dharma (The Universal Religion)
Chapter Nine - Eternal Religion and Modern Science-Civilization
http://www.bvml.org/SBTP/JD/index.html
http://www.exoticindia.es/book/details/jaiva-dharma-universal-religion-IDJ890/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/