State to revise lessons on textbooks to root out RSS legacy

Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka, currently undertaking a textbook revision exercise, announced on Thursday that the lesson featuring RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar has been excluded from the textbooks.

This decision is expected to spark controversy, as the BJP has made it clear that they will not remain silent if the syllabus is altered.

Following the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa addressed the media, stating that the previous changes implemented by the BJP government in the state text books have been reversed.

Emphasizing their commitment to the well-being of the students, he mentioned the modifications made in Kannada textbooks for students from Class 6 to 10, as well as in social science textbooks for the same grades.

Bangarappa assured that the revised textbooks would be swiftly distributed to students in less than 10 days.

When asked about the specific lessons that have been removed, he confirmed that all the additional lessons introduced by the previous BJP government have been eliminated. He specifically mentioned the exclusion of the Hedgewar lesson as an example.

He further criticized the BJP for duplicating content in the syllabus and manipulating it. The syllabus prior to the revision by the BJP government would be reinstated, according to him.

Bangarappa highlighted that the BJP government had removed certain portions based on personal preferences. As a result, the text featuring right-winger Chakravarthy Sulibele has been removed, while lessons on social reformer Savitri Bai Phule, previously removed by the BJP, will be retained, added Bangarappa.