BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he will hold a meeting with Primary Education Minister BC Nagesh and senior officers on Wednesday to look into the concerns expressed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda over alleged discrepancies in the revision of school textbooks.The former PM had written a letter, dated June 20, to the CM urging him to reject the books revised by Text Revision Committee chairman Rohit Chakrathirtha as mistakes in the books cannot be corrected at this stage.
“Innumerable mistakes in the textbooks and injustice done by it cannot be corrected merely by way of corrigendum or printing separate pages. Re-revised textbooks should be withdrawn and the books revised by 27 committees headed by Baraguru Ramachandrappa should be used this year,” Gowda stated in his letter to the CM. Gowda said the textbook revision committee head had insulted ‘Naadageethe’ (state anthem) written by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu.
Picking Chakrathirtha first mistake: Deve Gowda
“The government committed the first mistake by appointing a person (Chakrathirtha) who, as the chairman of the textbook revision committee, insulted Kuvempu,” Gowda said. Kuvempu’s photograph has been removed from a chapter in a social science textbook, contributions of Siddaganga and Adichunchanagiri mutts have been removed and reference to Dr B R Ambedkar as the architect of the Indian constitution has been dropped, the JD(S) supremo said.
Speaking to media, CM Bommai said he will have a meeting with heads of the education department and education minister on Wednesday where the former PM’s letter would be discussed. “His suggestions would be considered seriously and we will decide on what possible measures could be taken,” the CM said.
A protest was held in Bengaluru on Saturday against Chakrathirtha and Minister B C Nagesh. The protesters termed the textbook revision “saffronisation of education”. Gowda and KPCC chief D K Shivakumar had taken part in the protest.