Kannada writer and thinker Devanuru Mahadeva and scholar Dr G Ramakrishna have asked the Karnataka education ministry to remove their works from textbook as a protest against the revision committee’s recommendations — calling it ‘undemocratic’ and ‘an intellectual travesty’
Social Science textbooks of Classes VI to X in all mediums, Classes I to X Kannada first language (except Class III) textbooks, Kannada second language textbooks of Classes VI, VIII, and IX, and third language textbooks of all mediums of Classes VII, VIII, and IX were revised by the textbook committee, headed by Rohit Chakrathirtha. Image used for representational purposes/PTI
The state of Karnataka is witnessing one controversy after another. First, it was the issue of hijabs in educational institutions, which was dragged to court wherein it was ordered that only uniforms prescribed by the school management would be allowed. Then there was the row over halal meat, which was followed by the issue of azaan being broadcast over loudspeakers.
Now, the state is in the midst of a debate on textbooks, with the Congress and others opposing what they call the “saffronisation” of education.
The row has heated up even further with noted Dalit activist and litterateur Devanur Mahadeva and thinker Dr G Ramakrishna asking the state education ministry to drop chapters carrying their works.
We take a closer look at the issue at hand and decode why these writers have revoked permission from using their work in the textbooks of Karnataka schools.
What textbook row?
The entire row stems from previous complaints that some lessons in the textbooks of Class VI and VIII in Karnataka schools were hurting sentiments of the Brahmin community.
This led to the state government, headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, to form a revise committee, which would take a look at all textbooks from Classes I to X.
The government then appointed noted right-wing writer Rohit Chakrathirtha to head the 15-member committee. As per a report in The Hindu, the revision committee then submitted its report to the government in March and as per the report, Social Science textbooks of Classes VI to X in all mediums, Classes I to X Kannada first language (except Class III) textbooks, Kannada second language textbooks of Classes VI, VIII, and IX, and third language textbooks of all mediums of Classes VII, VIII, and IX were revised.
Reports said that chapters on revolutionary and freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan, Lingayat social reformer Basavanna, Dravidian movement pioneer Periyar and reformer Narayana Guru were allegedly removed from the syllabus or severely curtailed with.
Facts on Kannada poet Kuvempu were also allegedly distorted.
News agency PTI also reported that a speech by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was added to the Class X language textbook.
Authors irked at revision
Following the revision committee’s report and the Karnataka government starting to print the textbooks, noted Kannada writers and thinker Devanuru Mahadeva and scholar G Ramakrishna revoked permission of their work being printed in the textbooks, as a form of protest.
Devanuru Mahadeva, who has actively campaigned for the inclusion of Kannada as the primary language of instruction in schools and colleges, called the entire revision exercise an ‘undemocratic’ way of reviewing textbooks.
He has revoked the permission to use his work ‘Yedege Bidda Akshara’ in the textbook.
Mahadeva was quoted as saying that that those who had taken the decision to drop the chapters from the textbooks did not have any idea of Kannada literature or culture.
He also took objection to the committee chairperson Rohith Chakrathirtha saying that he was unaware of the caste of the authors. Devanuru was quoted telling The Quint, “Caste is a reality in our country, and when it is not identified, 90 per cent of authors from the same caste are featured as a result. This means that diverse voices disappear, which does not make for a good democracy.”
Dr G Ramakrishna, a retired professor of English who served at the Dr BR Ambedkar College in Mahad and the National College in Basavangudi, also revoked the permission of using his chapter on Bhagat Singh in the textbook.
In a release, as reported by The Hindu, Dr Ramakrishna, said, “It is an intellectual travesty that children are being fed poison through textbooks.”
Dr G Ramakrishna and Devanuru Mahadeva have asked that their works be removed from the textbooks in Karnataka. Image Courtesy: Bookbrahma.com/Wikimedia
‘Saffronisation of textbooks’
Apart from the two authors, the revision exercise of the textbooks has been met with staunch opposition from other individuals as well as the Congress.
Several Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior member DK Shivakumar have spoken out against the revisions.
“Let the BJP use Hedgewar, (RSS ideologue) Golwalkar and (Gandhi’s assassin) Nathuram Godse in their political rallies and to ask for votes… But politicising education for selfish reasons will hold no good,” Siddaramaiah has been quoted as saying.
Siddaramaiah also slammed the decision of the chairman of the textbook revision committee. He wrote on Twitter, “A person who distorted the state anthem and made fun of the Rashtra Kavi has been made the chairperson of the textbook revision committee. If the BJP government has any shame, they should remove this person.”
His statement came after a screenshot of a post by committee chairman Chakrathirtha on 16 March 16 2017 went viral on social media where he has made a parody of the state anthem “Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujathe, Jayahe Karnataka Maathe” to criticise the Congress party who was in power at the time in Karnataka.
Congress leader and former Education Minister BK Chandrashekar and MP L Hanumanthaiah have also hit out at the BJP govermment. They questioned the constitution of the textbook revision committee and alleged that it was not representative of all communities. The duo said that the committee only had sympathisers of the BJP and the RSS, as per The Hindu.
Besides the Congress, other academicians and intellectuals have also criticised the government’s textbook revision exercise.
Prajval Shastri, renowned scientist and a member of the previous textbook revision committee has called the current revision “unnecessary, anti-student and a disaster created based on faulty rationale and the outcome of an unprecedented faulty process”, as per a Times of India report.
Renowned Kannada writer K Marulasiddappa, according to a report in The Print, said the alterations are “non-committal towards progressive ideology”. He said they were a “crude way of promoting ideology through youngsters”.
Former Karnataka education minister and BJP’s own MLC, AH Vishwanath also voiced his displeasure over the changes. “This is a very serious issue. I was a primary education minister. It is distressing to see all this. Textbooks are not material for political fights,” he was quoted as saying.
Government’s defence
The Karnataka government has, however, dismissed these concerns, and said that confusion was being created by so-called “so-called self-declared intellectuals and education experts” and Congress leaders. He said that the Karnataka government was going to teach students “real” history.
BC Nagesh, the education minister of Karnataka, said, “During the Siddaramaiah-headed Congress government, the syllabus was said to be a burden. The teachers complained that they couldn’t cover the syllabus in one year. No lessons on revolutionaries Narayan Guru, and Bhagat Singh have been dropped. False propaganda is being taken up on social media and otherwise.”
On the Hedgewar speech, Nagesh said that “he joined the revolutionary movement and he was also with the Nagpur Congress Movement. That is why his speech has been included”.
On the matter of the two authors demanding that their works be removed from the textbooks, the education minister, said he would meet them and convince them not to do so.
The minister pointed out that the revised textbooks were already being printed.
“Around two crore revised textbooks will be printed. About 75 per cent of textbooks are already printed. Now, how it is possible to drop some lessons?” asked the minister, speaking to The Hindu.
With inputs from agencies
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