Now, Karnataka BJP lawmakers speak out against new textbooks

Already on the backfoot, the BJP government in Karnataka is facing opposition from a section of its own lawmakers who have publicly criticised the new school textbooks framed by the now-dissolved Rohith Chakratirtha committee.

MLAs Harshavardhan (Nanjangud), Raju Gowda (Shorapur), MP Kumaraswamy (Mudigere) and MLC AH Vishwanath registered their protests and concerns over the new textbooks.

Harshavardhan and Kumaraswamy, both Dalits, pontificated about the textbooks dropping the reference 'Architect of the Constitution' for BR Ambedkar.

Kumaraswamy, who also heads the Legislature Committee on the Welfare of SC and ST, wrote to Primary & Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh congratulating him for rectifying the 'error' on Ambedkar. But, the MLA said the BJP government must "prove its respect and commitment" towards Ambedkar by adding details on why he is the architect of the Constitution.

Also read | Fresh revision of textbooks based on public feedback: B C Nagesh

"One of the members of the drafting committee T T Krishnamachari has recorded why Ambedkar is called as architect/father of the Indian Constitution and the government should print this in the textbooks," he stated.

Raju Gouda, an ST, hit out at the government for dropping Surapura Nayaka from the textbooks.

Meanwhile, Vishwanath slammed Nagesh for his "anti-constitutional" manner of handling the textbooks controversy. "Recently, the minister met RSS leaders and convinced them about the revised textbooks. He should realise that he has to convince parents, teachers, experts and students; not the RSS or other relegious leaders," he said.

Vishwanath even urged the government to withdraw the revised textbooks and continue the earlier ones. "It is okay if crores of rupees is wasted, but when there is much confusion, controversy and objections, the government should keep the revised textbooks on hold and introduce them next year by discussing with all parties and experts," he said.

Meanwhile, more allegations surfaced against textbooks framed by the Chakratirtha committee. Apparently, the textbooks have either "distorted" or "dropped" references to Sufi saints and other philosophers.

Apparently, the class 7 textbooks prepared by the Chakratirtha committee have dropped lessons on sufi saints as well as 12th century poet Akka Mahadevi and 16th century philosopher Kanakadasa. Also, vedic scholar Shankaracharya is referred to as 'sankara' instead of Shankara.