Though NCF 2005 has recommended that stress should be given to social justice and justice for the downtrodden, these books in fact contain lessons that will result in the creation of an opposite viewpoint in children.
The commission has also noted that these books contain lessons that treat Dalits, women, Adivasis and minorities as inferior beings whereas NCF 2005 clearly recommends that the curriculum should be culturally neutral.
The commission has found extensive distortion of history and observes that it is “most frightening” as history that has been presented in these books is found to be “toeing the line of the Sangh Parivar”.
The commission found that in the Social Science text book (Class 5, Bengaluru Division), the kings of Keladi are shown as promoters of Hindu religion. “The battles they fought with the Hindu kings of neighbouring states are missing. Only the wars fought against Muslims and foreign rulers have been described. (pp 5-7). History of the Hyderabad-Karnatak region is depicted as a history of Muslim kings persecuting their Hindu subjects. (pp 102-105). Some Roman Catholic churches of Bengaluru have been described as built by the British, (page 13). It is stated that the roots of Aryan civilization can be found in the Harappan civilization and the Aryan civilization emerged out of the former. (pp 36-46)” the commission's report submitted to Union HRD Minister in Mangalore on Friday states.
The commission further notes that in the Hindi text book (Class 8, Bengaluru Division) at the end of a lesson on “Punyakoti” the tiger takes an oath that “Consumption of cow's meat is a bad thought. Henceforth I will not eat cow's meat.” while in the original Kannada version the ending is entirely different as the tiger does not take any such oath but actually commits suicide.
The Committee for Resisting Saffronization of Education has stated that a “hidden agenda” is being instilled along with “building up of non-secular values, religious fundamentalism and the idea of a Hindu Nation (Hindu Rashtra) in crores of young and impressionable minds”.
The committee consists of Suresh Bhat Bakrabail, Muhammed Kakkinje, Nigel Periera, Sr Rose Celine, Sr Edna Furtado, Sr Lilly Fernandes, Fr Wilson D'Souza, Walter Maben, Alwyn Colaco, Victor D'Silva, Roy Castelino and Denis D'Silva.
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