Textbook row | Here are the 8 changes made by Karnataka Government

On Monday, the State government issued a notification making eight corrections in the Class I to Class X Kannada and Social Science textbooks. Amid hundreds of objections raised by the general public, people’s representatives, and seers of various communities to the changes made by the Textbook Revision Committee, headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha, the State government has brought in a few modifications in the revised textbooks.

Last Saturday, state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel had asserted that the government will not take back the revised textbooks. Talking to reporters, Mr. Kateel had said: “BJP government is not here to seek apology as demanded by the opposition parties and take back the revised text books. We are the ruling government and we know how to manage the administration.”

Yet, days after this statement, the state government has notified eight changes — among them corrections, inclusions and re-inclusions of deleted sections.

Re-inclusions

1. Class VII, Social Science (Part - 1): Complete lesson on Bhakti panth and Sufi saints, encompassing Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa and other saints
2. Class IX, Social Science: Adding the prefix “Samvidhana Shilpi” to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
3. Class VI, Social Science lesson on ‘Namma Hemmeya Rajya Karnataka’ (Part -1): Lines on services by Siddaganga Mutt and Adichunchanagiri Mutt
4. Class VIII, Social Science: Details of Surapura Naikas

Inclusion

1. Class VII, Social Science: Pictures of Kuvempu and Huyilagola Narayana Rao

Correction/Edits

1. Class VII, Kannada: Author name of ‘Gombe Kalisuva Neethi’ corrected to Chi. Udayashankar. It was wrongly printed as Dr. R.N. Jayagopal.
2. Class IX, Social Science (Part - 1): Passage on 12th century reformer Basaveshwara that informed of his revolt against Brahminism had been dropped. It will now be suitably edited so as to not hurt any feelings. However, the statement did not detail the changes to be made.

Deletion

1. Class IV, Environmental Sciences: Dropping the controversial line “Kuvempu became a famous poet because of encouragement by several people”

However, the Opposition, writers, educationists, and seers termed the corrections “too inadequate” and demanded the withdrawal of the revised textbooks entirely. Foremost among them was Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah who slammed the BJP government in a series of tweets.

Even as the controversy refuses to die down, it appears the state government too is adamant about budging from its decision. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said while some changes had been brought in, the government had also decided to not change many things in the revised textbooks.