Needless controversy over removal of Narayana guru reference in Class 10, says Harikrishna Bantwal

KEONICS Chairperson Harikrishna Bantwal, speaking at a press conference, in Mangaluru on Saturday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH

The Congress is needlessly creating a controversy when Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has explicitly said that there will be no changes in the social science textbook of Class 10 and reference to Narayana Guru mentioned in a lesson in the text book will be retained when the new textbook is printed, said Billava leader and Chairman of KEONICS Harikrishna Bantwal here on Saturday.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Bantwal said that life and works of reformer Narayana Guru is also mentioned in detail in the lesson on social and religious reforms in the social science-2 text book of Class 7.

Congress leaders and a few activists, he said, were making a hue and cry over omission of reference to reformer Narayana Guru in the chapter on ‘Social and religious reforms movement’ in the new social science (part-1) textbook of Class 10, which is uploaded by Karnataka Text Book Society.

“The Education Minister has clearly said that Narayana Guru’s reference in Class 10 text book will not be omitted and people need to wait till text book is printed. Same assurance has been made by (Dakshina Kannada) district In-charge Minister V. Sunil Kumar and also by Social and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary. There is no controversy when ministers have explicitly said there will be no omission,” he said.

Earlier, former Mangaluru City South MLA J.R. Lobo had said that the Congress will launch an agitation if reference to Narayana Guru is not included in the Class 10 text book. Former Bantwal MLA B. Ramanath Rai had called for resignation of Mr. Sunil Kumar and other Ministers on the issue. Treasurer of Gokarnanatha Temple R Padmaraj had said omission of references to Narayana Guru in the Class 10 textbook was akin to insulting the social reformer.

Mr. Bantwal said Mr. Lobo and Mr. Padmaraj were among the persons who opposed naming of Lady Hill Circle after Narayarana Guru.

People, Mr. Bantwal said, know that Congress is raising this issue to garner votes of Billavas. “Billavas will not be carried away and they will remain with BJP,” he said.