Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah says state government will review school textbooks shortly
The state academicians and writers on Monday submitted a memorandum with various demands to reform the education sector, including the revisions in textbooks and the ban on hijab in educational institutions.
- May 30, 2023,
- Updated May 30, 2023 5:24 PM IST
Newly elected Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Monday met more than 40 writers and academicians in the state and promised that the act of polluting children’s minds through texts and lessons cannot be condoned.
He said that as the new session has started for the students, action will be taken so that the education of the children is not disturbed.
“The education sector will not be allowed to be adulterated in the name of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020). A separate meeting will be convened in this regard again to discuss it comprehensively and take strict and definite decisions,” Siddaramaiah said on Monday.
The academicians and writers submitted a memorandum with various demands to reform the education sector, including the controversial revisions in textbooks and the ban on hijab in educational institutions. Siddaramaiah added that there will be no compromise on the issue of protecting the harmony and secular heritage of Karnataka.
“There is no question of compromise on the issue of protecting the harmony and secular heritage of Karnataka," said CM Siddaramaiah. "Hate politics will not be tolerated and the environment of fear will be eradicated," he added.
“The act of polluting children’s minds through texts and lessons cannot be accepted. As the academic year has started, we will discuss and take action so that the education of the children is not disturbed,” the newly elected chief minister said.
In the memorandum submitted to the new government, the academicians said: “The anti-constitutional, communal textbooks should be amended immediately and the bad effect on the minds of children should be prevented. The textbook should be revised by next year.”
In 2022, the Textbook Revision Committee, headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha, had drawn flak from writers, academics, religious leaders and opposition parties in the state, who accused the BJP government-appointed panel of attempting to “saffronise” the curriculum by dropping works of social reformers and progressive thinkers.
The revised textbooks triggered opposition from various quarters in Karnataka for distortion of history and pushing a right-wing, pro-Hindutva ideology.
Issues that were raised after the revision included the omission of chapters on social reformer Narayana Guru, freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, and works of progressive writers such as Sara Aboobacker and P Lankesh.
On the other hand, chapters on RSS founder K B Hedgewar, works of right-wing ideologues such as Chakravarti Sulibele, Govinda Pai and Bannanje Govindacharya, were included in the curriculum.
The academicians added that the state government should bring in a change in the administrative system of the education department. “Distribution of free sanitary pads to girls in high schools should be continued. Bicycle distribution scheme should be continued,” they said, among other demands.
Cabinet portfolios
On Sunday night, the state government declared that CM Siddaramaiah has kept the key Finance department, while deputy CM D K Shivakumar was assigned the development of Bengaluru. The portfolios for the 34 ministers were announced after much deliberations.
Apart from Finance, Siddaramaiah also holds Cabinet Affairs, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (responsible for government postings), Intelligence, Information, Information Technology and Biotechnology, and Infrastructure Development. Shivakumar will also handle the irrigation portfolio. M B Patil got Industries, while Scheduled Caste leader G Parameshwara was assigned the crucial Home Ministry.
Another key portfolio, energy went to K J George. Lakshmi Hebbalkar has got Women and Child Development Ministry, along with the Department for Disabled and Senior Citizens Development.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge has got the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj portfolio, while Congress veteran H K Patil has been appointed as the new Law Minister.
In the recently held May 10 Assembly elections, the Congress succeeded in ousting the BJP from power by securing 135 seats out of the 224-member Assembly. The BJP, on the other hand, obtained 66 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular), led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son H D Kumaraswamy, managed to secure only 19 seats.
(With agency inputs)
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Newly elected Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Monday met more than 40 writers and academicians in the state and promised that the act of polluting children’s minds through texts and lessons cannot be condoned.
He said that as the new session has started for the students, action will be taken so that the education of the children is not disturbed.
“The education sector will not be allowed to be adulterated in the name of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020). A separate meeting will be convened in this regard again to discuss it comprehensively and take strict and definite decisions,” Siddaramaiah said on Monday.
The academicians and writers submitted a memorandum with various demands to reform the education sector, including the controversial revisions in textbooks and the ban on hijab in educational institutions. Siddaramaiah added that there will be no compromise on the issue of protecting the harmony and secular heritage of Karnataka.
“There is no question of compromise on the issue of protecting the harmony and secular heritage of Karnataka," said CM Siddaramaiah. "Hate politics will not be tolerated and the environment of fear will be eradicated," he added.
“The act of polluting children’s minds through texts and lessons cannot be accepted. As the academic year has started, we will discuss and take action so that the education of the children is not disturbed,” the newly elected chief minister said.
In the memorandum submitted to the new government, the academicians said: “The anti-constitutional, communal textbooks should be amended immediately and the bad effect on the minds of children should be prevented. The textbook should be revised by next year.”
In 2022, the Textbook Revision Committee, headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha, had drawn flak from writers, academics, religious leaders and opposition parties in the state, who accused the BJP government-appointed panel of attempting to “saffronise” the curriculum by dropping works of social reformers and progressive thinkers.
The revised textbooks triggered opposition from various quarters in Karnataka for distortion of history and pushing a right-wing, pro-Hindutva ideology.
Issues that were raised after the revision included the omission of chapters on social reformer Narayana Guru, freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, and works of progressive writers such as Sara Aboobacker and P Lankesh.
On the other hand, chapters on RSS founder K B Hedgewar, works of right-wing ideologues such as Chakravarti Sulibele, Govinda Pai and Bannanje Govindacharya, were included in the curriculum.
The academicians added that the state government should bring in a change in the administrative system of the education department. “Distribution of free sanitary pads to girls in high schools should be continued. Bicycle distribution scheme should be continued,” they said, among other demands.
Cabinet portfolios
On Sunday night, the state government declared that CM Siddaramaiah has kept the key Finance department, while deputy CM D K Shivakumar was assigned the development of Bengaluru. The portfolios for the 34 ministers were announced after much deliberations.
Apart from Finance, Siddaramaiah also holds Cabinet Affairs, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (responsible for government postings), Intelligence, Information, Information Technology and Biotechnology, and Infrastructure Development. Shivakumar will also handle the irrigation portfolio. M B Patil got Industries, while Scheduled Caste leader G Parameshwara was assigned the crucial Home Ministry.
Another key portfolio, energy went to K J George. Lakshmi Hebbalkar has got Women and Child Development Ministry, along with the Department for Disabled and Senior Citizens Development.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge has got the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj portfolio, while Congress veteran H K Patil has been appointed as the new Law Minister.
In the recently held May 10 Assembly elections, the Congress succeeded in ousting the BJP from power by securing 135 seats out of the 224-member Assembly. The BJP, on the other hand, obtained 66 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular), led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son H D Kumaraswamy, managed to secure only 19 seats.
(With agency inputs)
Also read: Go First's lessors' request to repossess planes on hold, not rejected: DGCA
Also read: 'Bulldozer justice has replaced natural justice,' says Cong's P Chidambaram