The former Education Minister B.K. Chandrashekar on Thursday demanded that the State government reorganise the textbook committee that was appointed by the former BJP government, dismiss the committee’s chief coordinator, G.S. Mudambadittaya, and get the chapters with references to “saffron” content deleted from the history textbooks of Class 9 with immediate effect.
The Hindu , on Thursday, reported about the reduction of content on Islam and Christianity in the new Class 9 history textbooks. Class 6 curriculum was also revised for this academic year.
Mr. Chandrashekar told reporters that the textbook should be revised and experts should review it.
On how this can be done when the academic year has begun, he said, “How it is done is the government and Education Department’s responsibility. Saying that the revision can be done next year is like saying that poison is ‘ok’ for this year, but not for the next year.”
He suggested that the government ask school headmasters and bookshops to take off the controversial chapters.
Mr. Chandrashekhar, who accompanied members of the Karnataka Regional Commission for Education to submit a memorandum to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj on Thursday, told mediapersons that the Governor had assured the group that he will take up the issue with the government.
