B C Nagesh, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Karnataka has defended the transfer to revise college textbooks, alleging pointless confusion being created among the many folks and college students, together with makes an attempt to create communal hatred by spreading falsehood. “When attempts are underway to put out actual facts, the ‘so-called self-declared intellectuals and education experts’ and Congress leaders are unable to digest it, and hence are spreading lies,” he mentioned whereas alleging that info have been distorted or hidden from the textbooks, particularly from the historical past books earlier, to go well with sure motives.
According Nagesh, false info was unfold subsequently relating to the omission of chapters on Basavanna, Narayana Guru and now allegations of distorting info on Kuvempu.
“Those unable to digest the smooth functioning education department are spreading lies. It started with rumours that a lesson on Tipu Sultan was being omitted from the textbook, even before the textbook revision committee report came. Then, when the book went for printing, it was alleged that a lesson on Bhagat Singh had been dropped, despite my immediate clarification that no such omission had been made,” Nagesh mentioned.
The controversy had erupted just lately following objections raised by some organisations towards inclusion of a speech by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in grade 10 Kannada revised textbook, allegedly by omitting a chapter on Bhagat Singh.
Clarifying on the omission of a chapter on Narayana Guru, the minister said there have been complaints from lecturers relating to grade 10 historical past textbooks over burdening the scholars, because the Congress authorities’s tenure below Siddaramaiah, because the syllabus can’t be accomplished in a 12 months.
“So, we removed the chapter on Narayana Guru from history textbook and included it in the Kannada book as it is, while the chapter on Narayana Guru has remained as it is in grade six textbook,” he mentioned, noting that even senior politicians began spreading these lies on social media with out even having gone via the textbook or figuring out the info.
Further stating {that a} chapter on Bhagat Singh has not been eliminated, Nagesh mentioned info relating to different revolutionary freedom fighters like Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, have been added within the revised textbook.
“We are at least happy the Congress which had called revolutionaries as terrorists has started speaking about them,” he mentioned, stating that the earlier textbook committee had decreased contents relating to chapters on Mysuru Maharajahs, whereas including extra info on Tipu Sultan.
Admitting that the current committee has eliminated sure traces from a chapter on Periyar because it mentioned Rama represents Vedic tradition and Ravana represented Dravidian motion, he requested, “Should we teach our students such things?”
The minister mentioned misinformation is being unfold that Kuvempu has been disrespected within the textbook, whereas the very fact is nothing within the mentioned chapter was revised from what was earlier.
“We have in fact added a couple of chapters on Kuvempu and his writings like Ramayana Darshanam, while the previous committee had removed some chapters,” he mentioned, as he hit out at “so-called self-declared intellectuals and education experts.” At each step, Hindu historical past or historic figures have been “avoided”, he mentioned, even in Kannada the phrase “Indian Ocean” was used as a substitute of “Hindu Maha Sagara”, because the ocean known as within the vernacular language, as a result of it has the phrase Hindu in it.
According to Nagesh, the earlier committee constituted by the Congress regime had eliminated chapters on B R Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and distorted info on Swami Vivekananda, whereas a chapter on Jawaharlal Nehru’s letter to his daughter was added by eradicating classes on ‘Sindhu Culture.
He added that even writers and literary figures are seen with a prism of caste or faith by alleging that works of Brahmin literary figures are being included within the revised textbooks.
As a lot as 78 per cent textbooks had already reached college students and the remaining will even attain quickly, Nagesh additional mentioned, as he defended inclusion of Hedgewar’s speech stating that the RSS founder devoted his complete life for the nation, first starting as a revolutionary after which with Congress.
Hedgewar got here out of Congress because it related itself with the Khilafat motion, after which based the RSS to encourage children for the reason for the nation, the minister additional mentioned.
Writers and thinkers with RSS background even have equal rights below the Constitution, just like the Left and so-called secular intellectuals or thinkers have, he mentioned.
The minister additionally strongly defended Rohith Chakrathirtha, the pinnacle of the present textbook committee, and hit again at his detractors stating that he was a professor instructing CET and IIT college students.
The committee headed by Chakrathirtha, which was constituted to look at social science and language textbooks, has revised social science textbooks from grade six to 10 and Kannada language textbooks between grade one to 10.
With inputs from PTI.
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