The Opposition Congress and JD(S) have slammed the BJP government for redrafting textbooks - dropping a lesson on freedom fighter Bhagat Singh authored by G. Ramakrishna and including a speech by RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar.
Terming it an “anti-national” move, KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar said he was concerned about the BJP trying to push its agenda through education. “Tomorrow they may want to edge out Mahatma Gandhi from textbooks,” he said.
Communally polarising children
Congress leader V.S. Ugrappa said this was an attempt by the BJP to communally polarise children and said the move was not in line with Constitutional values and “against the values of Basavanna, Swami Vivekananda and other spiritual leaders.” He appealed to the government to reverse the decision.
Attack on Kannada identity
JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy also came down on the changes made to the textbooks by the BJP government and characterised it as an attack on Kannada ‘asmite’ (identity) and called on Kannadigas to awaken and resist.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Instruction (Karnataka Textbook Society) claimed that they had not dropped the lesson on Bhagat Singh.
