amidst increasing pressure to dissolve Textbook Review Committee headed by Rohit Chakratirtha, Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh has promised to address the issue. Critics have been accusing Chakratirtha of distorting facts and ‘saffroning’ textbooks. After political parties, writers and student organizations, the seer has now joined the bandwagon to protest the revised Kannada and social science textbooks in Class 10.
Responding to the allegations made by saints for distorting the teachings of social reformer Basavanna and insulting the state anthem of poet Kuvempu, Nagesh said, “I am ready to put aside any differences, which may be material. with, not personality. I am personally talking to the saints and giving them clarity about the changes made in the textbooks. Further, once the review committee has suggested its changes and the copy has gone for printing, the process is over. After that we cannot change anything else. 74% of the textbooks have already been printed and 66% of them have reached the Block Education Office.
In a letter addressed to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Sri Tharalabalu Jagadhuru Shakha Matha Panditadhyaya Sivaacharya Swamy claimed that the ‘facts’ related to Basavanna mentioned in the Class 9 social science textbook have been distorted. The seer expressed his objection to certain “distortions” in Basavanna’s teachings and beliefs published in a social science textbook.
“It is clear that the current textbook review committee consists of members of a community. The committee should have reviewed the textbooks based on the inputs of academic experts. Instead, changes are made on the basis of caste equations and party politics. The revised textbook reflects the misrepresented story of Basavanna’s propagation of Lingayatism and hides the real facts. The textbook says that ‘scholars have initiated reforms in the Veera Shaiva caste’. Instead, it should have been ‘scholars introduced Lingayat religion in the society. There are many such changes, which have reflected very badly on the Lingayat community.
Nirmalananda Swami of Adichunchanagiri Math has also written to Bommai seeking action against those who have insulted Kuvempu and his actions online. In a letter addressed to Bommai, the seer said, “If anyone is distorting and disrespecting the national anthem, it amounts to disrespecting the national anthem and is a clear violation of the law of the land.” The letter comes after some advocates recently filed a complaint against Rohit Chakratirth, who heads the textbook committee constituted by the state education department, for insulting him by distorting the lyrics of the national anthem.
a Facebook Some time back, a post by Chakratirth ridiculing the lyrics of the national anthem went viral. The spoof of the state anthem, which he shared, drew much criticism. Though no person has been named in the saint’s letter, action has been sought against those involved in such acts.
Earlier in the day, organizations including Students Federation of India (SFI), National Students Union of India (NSUI), All India Students Federation (AISF) and Karnataka Vokkaliga Sangh held a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru demanding their resignations. Dissolution of Textbook Committee headed by Education Minister Nagesh and Chakratirtha.