[See reports from the Times of India and Mail Today]
#1.
The Times of India
Rajasthan textbooks to chop Sangh propaganda
by Kshitiz Gaur, TNN 17 September 2009
AJMER: The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) is all set to change the contents of Class X social studies chapters, deleting some
portion, which it feels are biased and controversial. The review committee set up by the state government found that large parts are uncalled-for glorification of the RSS. It has also decided to review all books being taught from Class IX to Class XII.
The board has already started deleting the controversial content and soon schools will be issued orders to delete the parts. New books will be ready only from the next session.
The second chapter titled `Indian Society (Continuity and Changes)' in the social science textbook reads: "During the China attack on India in 1962, the RSS played a vital role in maintaining patriotism in the country. The Sangh set an example of brotherhood, harmony and discipline, the reason that allowed the country to overcome the attack.'' It further says: "By this act of RSS, Jawaharlal Nehru was impressed and they invited Sangh for `path sanchalan' (march past) on the occasion of January 26, 1963.''
Many feel information like this has basically turned the textbook into a Sangh propaganda. "Students are not concerned what the Sangh did during the time of war. On the contrary, they should be taught how the nation stood united during the war,'' said Umesh Sharma, chief general secretary, Rajasthan Teacher's congress.
He proposed that course books in RBSE should follow the CBSE pattern so that students are taught what is factual. "We are against propaganda of any political or religious ideology,'' he added.
The chapter further says: "When the British adopted the divide-and-rule policy, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar of RSS came forward to spread the message of brotherhood and patriotism in Indian communities.''
Some teachers objected, arguing that Mahatma Gandhi was being replaced byHedgewar. "These books were written when Vimal Parsad Agarwal was chairman of the board. He was on numerous occasions accused of being a staunch RSS member,'' said Shakti Singh, who teaches social science in a government secondary school.
Similarly, some chapters in the book, according to teachers, promote the caste system. They said while NCERT is for a casteless society, RBSE books are teaching the merits of the caste system in India. "When a student asks if Brahmins are better than other castes, what do we say?'' a teacher pointed out.
In order to remove such biased information, the review committee has sent its recommendations. Secretary of state board, Mirju Ram Sharma, said: "We have received the recommendation of the review committee and are working on this issue. The matter is in the final stage and we will ask the schools not to teach the controversial facts in classes from this session.''
#2.
Mail Today, 20 September 2009
See image of box item titled "A Study in Saffron" (gives citations from textbooks that praise fascism]
http://tt.ly/2X
Gehlot to rid books of saffron inf luence
By Sudhanshu Mishra in Jaipur
IT’S TOUGH enough mugging up textbooks one time. But Rajasthan’s high school students will have to do it twice this year, with the Congress state government deciding to “ de- saffronise” a dozen of them.
The Ashok Gehlot government has directed the education board to rewrite large portions of 11 books on political science, sociology and history taught in classes IX through XII. The board has also been asked to replace a class XI textbook on Indian society.
The directive follows a report submitted by a three- member panel. It was set up by the chief minister to study the alterations introduced in high school textbooks by the 2004- 08
Vasundhara Raje government.
Much of the text objected to by the panel relates to the ideals of , the BJP’s parent organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS) and the glorification of its role in the freedom struggle.
For instance, the class XI textbook Bharatiya Samaj ( Indian Society) teaches that “ the trend to treat Hindus as second class citizens and punish them that began since the Mughal period continued till the British rule that adopted the policy of divide and rule. In such a situation with a view to awaken the Indian society
Dr Keshavrao Baliram Hedgewar founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh”. The panel, headed by Subhash Garg, a syndicate member of Rajasthan University, said such texts were a lame attempt to glorify the RSS. “ The writers failed to substantiate the inference that Hindus were treated as second class citizens.
During the British, the status of Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs was no different. Similarly, Muslims were also treated like the rest of Indians,” the panel’s report pointed out.
Sangh Parivar ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya has been mentioned as a sociologist in one book and an economist in another. A third book glorifies him as a political thinker and a fourth one establishes him as a literary personality.
The panel also objected to a class XI textbook that tries to establish religious writings as the basis of sociology. “ The book also says national unity, brotherhood, patriotism, discipline and harmony were spread in Indian society only due to the RSS,” the report observed.
A Class X book of political science says: “ Our culture is called Aryan culture, Indian culture and Hindu
culture. In fact the three terms have become synonymous.” Another book on political science, taught in class XI, claims that the freedom fighters used to sing RSS slogans to derive courage.
Even the chapterisation shows an RSS bias, said the panel report. Bhagat Singh and RSS ideologue Vir Savarkar have been deliberately kept in the same chapter. Savarkar has been glorified as a “ popular revolutionary, social and political thinker and a nationalist of first order”. On the other hand, the book criticises Jawahar Lal Nehru’s policies of nonalignment, panchsheel and peaceful coexistence, claiming these were “ not realistic but based on sheer emotions that were responsible for India’s defeat at the hands of China in 1962”. The report has recommended the blacklisting of the writers and publishers of these 12 books.
It wants paper setters and examiners to be directed not to ask questions relating to the deleted chapters and paragraphs.
Education secretary Lalit Pawar said the board of education had been directed to implement the report immediately.
The panel was set up after the saffronisation of these textbooks was pointed out in a book, Rajasthan Ki Schooli Kitabon Mein Jansanhar ( Genocide in the textbooks of Rajasthan), written by Apoorvanand ad published by Anhad, New Delhi.
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