Kerala opposition walks out in protest against textbook
July 23rd, 2009 - 3:48 pm ICT by IANSThiruvananthapuram, July 23 (IANS) The entire Kerala opposition walked out of the assembly Thursday, protesting that the class 7 social studies textbook contains more about Communist-led agitations than the Independence struggle.
Raising the issue, Congress’ Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said it was appalling to note that the textbook, which was revised in the last academic year after a lot of protests, had become even worse.
He said important events in the country’s Independence struggle like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Malabar wagon tragedy, the Salt Satyagraha led by Gandhiji, and the letter of Bhagat Singh have all been left out and in their place, struggles of Communists like Kayoor and information about Communist leader A.K. Gopalan find mention.
Law Minister M. Vijayakumar, who replied in absence of Education Minister M.A. Baby, said the government will look into all the creative suggestions put up by the opposition in this regard.
He also noted that none of these incidents find mention in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbook for class 7, prepared by the central government, though its has two chapters on the country’s independence struggle.
“In fact, our social studies book has much more,” said Vijayakumar.
The opposition also protested the absence of the education minister, with Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy expressing his dissatisfaction and claiming the minister might be purposely staying away to avoid answering questions on this issue.
Chandy said it is a grave crime being done by distorting the real facts of the independence struggle from the new generation of students.
“No wonder because of such things, it has come to light that compared to last year, this year there has been a drop of 1.75 lakh (175,000) students who preferred to study in private schools and not in the state run and state aided schools. Please make arrangements to see that the error is rectified immediately,” said Chandy as he led opposition members out of the house.
- Dalits angry with derogatory Ambedkar cartoon: Athawale (With Image) - Apr 03, 2012
- Government apologises after Ambedkar cartoon row (Second Lead) - May 11, 2012
- Sibal apologises after Ambedkar cartoon row rocks parliament (Third Lead) - May 11, 2012
- Tripura government criticises Ambedkar cartoon - May 15, 2012
- Freedom of expression is contextual, says Kapil Sibal - May 14, 2012
- Tripura to include more details on Mahatma in text books - May 25, 2011
- NCERT advisor's office ransacked over cartoon - May 12, 2012
- Tripura school book drops Mahatma, Congress plans fast - May 24, 2011
- PM calls all-party meet May 23 over job quota - May 18, 2012
- Ambedkar cartoon rocks parliament (Lead) - May 11, 2012
- Uproar in Lok Sabha over Ambedkar cartoon - May 11, 2012
- Positives outnumber negatives in 100 days: Chandy regime - Sep 12, 2011
- Two Kerala CPI-M legislators suspended amid bedlam - Oct 17, 2011
- Chandy gives up vigilance portfolio after probe order - Aug 09, 2011
- Shankar made the Ambedkar-Nehru cartoon in 1950s - May 11, 2012
Tags: answering questions, bhagat singh, central government, communist leader, creative suggestions, dissatisfaction, education minister, educational research, gandhiji, important events, independence struggle, jallianwala bagh massacre, law minister, leader of the opposition, malabar, national council of educational research and training, oommen chandy, radhakrishnan, social studies textbook, vijayakumar