Measures initiated by the newly-elected Congress government in Karnataka to undo the controversial textbook revisions implemented by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government have sparked a controversy with the saffron party dubbing it an example of the ruling government’s “intolerance”.

The revisions by the BJP government had drawn widespread criticism for alleged ideological bias and distortion of historical facts. Taking a firm stance on rectifying these changes, the Congress government claims its proposed exercise is aimed at restoring balance and inclusivity in the state’s education system. 

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The Congress party had pledged to undo the alterations made by the BJP government as part of their pre-election manifesto to ensure a fair and comprehensive representation of historical events and personalities in school textbooks.

What changes is the Congress undoing? 

In 2020, the BJP government established a textbook revision committee in response to complaints regarding certain chapters or sections in Kannada textbooks that were seen as derogatory towards the Brahmin community. Revisions were made in social science textbooks from Classes 6 to 10 and Kannada language textbooks from Classes 1 to 10. The revised textbooks, ordered by the Karnataka government, were printed in preparation for the academic year.

The changes made by the committee included altering information related to historical figures like Tipu Sultan and poet Kuvempu. However, these revisions drew strong opposition from education experts, progressive thinkers, and the opposition Congress party, led by Siddaramaiah. The critics argued that the revisions distorted the original content and removed important chapters on social reformer Basavanna, poet Kuvempu, and freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, among others.

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Instead, the works of right-wing ideologues like Chakravarti Sulibele, Govinda Pai, and Bannanje Govindacharya were included. Critics argued that these changes favoured a right-wing, conservative, and pro-Hindutva ideology. Additionally, chapters on RSS founder KB Hedgewar were introduced, while writings by progressive authors Sara Aboobacker and P. Lankesh were omitted. 

Furthermore, allegations were made that the committee had excluded chapters on religious icons such as Basavanna and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, thus hurting the sentiments of the Lingayat and Dalit communities, respectively. Critics also claimed that the committee neglected the works of writers from diverse backgrounds while promoting the ideologies of right-wing ideologues.

The controversy gained momentum when the online version of the Class 10 Kannada and social science textbooks were uploaded on the Karnataka Textbook Society’s website. Writers and authors noticed the absence of a chapter on Bhagat Singh, as well as the omission of works by Sara Aboobacker and P. Lankesh. In their place, a speech by RSS founder KB Hedgewar was included, further fueling the controversy.


What does Congress propose to do now?

The Congress government, now in power, has promised to undo the changes made by the previous government in its election manifesto. The proposed changes by Congress aim to rectify the alleged distortions and restore the omitted chapters on social reformers, freedom fighters, and progressive thinkers to provide a more balanced and inclusive education system.

The exercise by the government comes after education experts and critics urged the government to rectify the alleged distortions in textbooks. Responding to these calls, Karnataka’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Madhu Bangarappa, announced that the textbooks would be revised starting this year. However, he assured that the old textbooks would not be recalled but supplementary textbooks would be provided to guide teachers on what should be taught and omitted.

Minister Bangarappa claimed that the revisions were being made in the best interest of the children’s future. He cited the Congress party’s pre-election manifesto, which committed to undoing the changes made by the BJP government, as the basis for their actions. While the minister did not delve into specific details of the revision process, he stated that a “purely technical team” would oversee the revisions to minimise disruptions for students.

The BJP has strongly criticised the revision, with party leader CT Ravi calling it “intolerance.” Ravi argued that lessons on Marx and Mao, who were not from India and opposed democracy, could be included in textbooks, but studies on patriots like Hedgewar were excluded. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on the other hand, emphasised upon the need to address the issue without disturbing children’s education.