Students of Class VIII in BJP-ruled Rajasthan will no longer learn that Jawaharlal Nehru was India’s first Prime Minister, and they won’t be taught that Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.
According to a report in Indian Express, the book is not yet available in the market but uploaded on the website of publisher Rajasthan Rajya Pathyapustak Mandal http://www.rstbraj.in
In the new chapter on National Movement, which had Nehru prominently in a box titled Major Leaders of National Movement, there is no mention of Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Madan Mohan Malviya in the history section of the textbook, written by senior teachers and principals from government schools.
The Social Studies textbook mentions Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, leader of the Indian National Congress and the Hindu Mahasabha, Subhas Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, Bhagat Singh and Hemu Kalani, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has found fault with the sudden decision to change syllabi and accused the Vasundhra Raje government of ‘saffronising’ education.
When asked about the latest development, government distanced itself.
“The government and I have nothing to do with it. I am yet to see the new textbooks. The syllabus is created by an autonomous body and the government does not interfere in it at all,” School Education Minister Vasudev Devnani told the daily.
The revision work of the textbook was carried out as part of curriculum re-structuring by the State Institute of Education Research and Training (SIERT), Udaipur.
Earlier this year, the BJP government removed the works of Western poets including John Keats, Thomas Hardy, S. Eliot, Edward Lear and William Blake from the Class VIII curriculum, and replaced them with lesser known writers with a more regional flavour.
In the Hindi textbook of Class VIII, chapters with Urdu words have also been removed. Meanwhile, Akbar has lost his title “great,” which has been transferred to Maharana Pratap, the Hindu ruler of Mewar.
Devnani wants to instill a feeling of patriotism in students so that “no one like Kanhaiya Kumar is born.”
Yes, all the Metros, highways you use are created in just 2 of Modi government, Congress did nothing, Jawaharlal Nehru did nothing from 1947
— Sarah Jacob (@JacobSarah24) May 8, 2016
Very good 2 c Jawaharlal Nehru removed from history textbooks in Rajasthan. Doesn’t deserve any place in history textbooks. He ruined us.
— राष्ट्रभक्त Bhushan (@bhs7rocks) May 8, 2016
Our history overemphasis Jawaharlal Nehru’s role & that of Muslim invaders. Both must be shown the place they deserve. #ChangeThePerspective
— Σριηαρσηα (@SriharshaTweets) May 8, 2016
Jawaharlal Nehru erased from history 🙂 Modi @PMOIndia jumlas & degrees to be included 🙂 🙂 🙂 ! #DegreeDikhaoPMSaab
— NoUllooBanoing (@NoUllooBanoing) May 8, 2016
Jawaharlal Nehru a dent on India.
India is really unfortunate to have Jawaharlal Nehru as its 1st PM.
Shame not pride!— Akhenaten (@CentreRight4) May 8, 2016
