Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s statement on Friday night on the revised school textbooks -- that the government had an “open mind” on further revisions -- does not appear to have stemmed the protests by various sections and the demand that the old textbooks should be restored.
Dalit and student organisations, and Opposition parties continue to be up in arms considering that, for now, the government has in concrete terms only agreed to re-edit the lesson on 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, assuaging Lingayat seers who had raised objections.
On Ambedkar
Dalit organisations are upset that objections they had raised over the lesson on Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has not been heeded to. They have come down on the Chief Minister, accusing him of playing “vote-bank politics”, since he has responded to objections raised by Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities only.
Mavalli Shankar, State convener, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, said lesson on Dr. Ambedkar be re-edited to voice his criticism of caste hierarchy in Hinduism. He claimed that the entire textbook revision betrayed “a step-motherly treatment to writers from oppressed communities.” “We will not accept the revised textbooks. All the dalit organisations will meet on Monday and decide on the next course of agitation,” he said.
What is the mechanism?
Student organisations have also demanded that the Chief Minister take back the revised textbooks. All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation has said they will continue their agitation. They have also raised questions on the lack of clarity in the Chief Minister’s statements. “The Chief Minister has said they have an open mind to edit any objectionable content in the textbooks. But what is the mechanism proposed for the same and till that process is completed, which textbooks should the students study?,” the AIDSO questioned. Student organisations have termed the Chief Minister’s statement an eyewash and misleading.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, in a series of tweets, hit out at the Chief Minister. “It is the revised textbook that needs to be withdrawn and not the committee which has already fulfilled its agenda. If a prejudiced chairman is removed, then how can we accept the textbook revised by his committee?” he questioned.
He further said: “It is the duty of the Chief Minister to clarify the doubts raised in the minds of the people of Karnataka. Instead, he is trying to confuse them further,” he alleged. “The only way to clear this confusion is to scrap this controversial revised textbook, constitute a new committee and continue to use the old textbook,” he argued.
Vokkaligas to protest
Leaders of the Vokkaliga community, who had raised objections to textbook revision committee head Rohit Chakrathirtha allegedly sharing content that insulted Nada Geethe (state anthem) penned by Kuvempu, are also not happy. Writer and member of ‘Vishwa Manava Krantikari Mahakavi Kuvempu Horata Samiti’ L.N. Mukundaraj said his promise that it would be investigated was an “eyewash.”
“The government is still not taking any serious action in this regard. So we will continue our agitation against the government and have already decided to stage a protest in Bengaluru, under the leadership of various mutts seers,” he said.
