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Updated May 23rd, 2022 at 19:17 IST

Amid row, Karnataka Min says parts about Tipu Sultan in textbooks removed; slams Congress

BC Nagesh hit out at the Congress for stoking a controversy without going through the texbooks, and alleged that the party was trying to keep 'Hindus divided'. 

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Karnataka
Image: ANI/PTI, Representative | Image:self
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Amid the row surrounding the revisions in Karnataka school textbooks, Primary & Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh on May 23 clarified that unverifiable claims regarding Tipu Sultan had been removed, and mentions of the Maharaja of Mysore had been added to the syllabus. Nagesh also hit out at Congress leader and former CM Siddaramaiah for stoking a controversy without going through the texbooks, and alleged that the party was trying to keep 'Hindus divided'. 

"We removed some parts of Tipu Sultan where no proof was available. We added the Mysuru king in books since he has done a lot for the people. If Indira Gandhi can put things related to the conversations between her and Jawaharlal Nehru.... we are ready to talk about it, but the Congress is afraid of Hindutva and Hindu society," said the Karnataka Minister.

He added, "Congress always wanted to keep Hindus divided. BJP wants children to get educated and learn about the country. Siddaramaiah has not seen the books, and is misguided by his advisors."

Controversy erupts over revisions in Karnataka school books

A furore erupted last week over the inclusion and exclusion of certain personalities in Karnataka's Class X social science textbook after the State Education Department decided to include a lesson by Chakravarthi Sulibele, founder of Yuva Brigade and a staunch BJP supporter. Meanwhile, it was alleged that references to Narayana Guru and Periyar, which were present in the earlier modules of the chapter, were excluded. 

Key Opposition in the state, Congress, taking cognisance of the matter, announced that it would call for a protest if chapters on Guru and Periyar were not restored. Taking to Twitter, Siddaramaiah sought an explanation from the state, and accused the BJP of trying to 'spoil the minds of innocent children for their political gains'.

Earlier, organizations like All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and All-India Save Education Committee (AISEC) had alleged that a speech by RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was included in the textbook while a lesson on Bhagat Singh was excluded.

The Karnataka Textbook Society had dismissed the claims and had asserted that no chapter on Bhagat Singh was omitted. BC Nagesh had, however, defended the inclusion of a speech by Hedgewar, asserting that the included text had nothing to do with the RSS or his own life. 

(With inputs from Agencies)

Image: ANI/PTI, Representative

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Published May 23rd, 2022 at 19:17 IST

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