Raj will no more refer Veer Savarkar as freedom fighter

The Congress-led government in Rajasthan has decided not to refer RSS ideologue Veer Savarkar as a strong freedom fighter and patriot, which was earlier included in class X text books by the previous BJP government.

The Congress government announced that changes will be made in the biography of RSS icon Veer Savarkar to teach the “correct” history. Rajasthan Primary Education Minister Govind Dotasara said that people like Savarkar have been glorified in the textbooks by the previous BJP government for the sake of “political gains” of the RSS. "The biography on Savarkar, that was introduced by the previous BJP government has just been done to glorify the RSS ideology and has no significance. The chapter portrays him as a freedom fighter, which is incorrect history. Hence the revision committee formed by the education department has decided to remove sections of text which is inappropriate", education minister Govind Dotasara said.

In 2017, Sarvarkar's biography was included in Class 10 history textbook in the lesson titled ‘Angreji Samarjya ka pratikar aur sangarsh’ which also carried history of many other legendary freedom fighters. The textbook highlighted him as a freedom fighter who was sentenced to two life terms of imprisonment to stop partition. However the education minister called it baseless and referred to the observations made by the review committee.

According to the review committee appointed by Education Department in its observation has said that, " Savarkar had supported Britishers during second world war. He had also put four mercy petitions to British to skip jail term".

BJP calls it 'cheap politics'

The Bharatiya Janta Party lashed out at Congress government with the revision of the text on Savarkar. "Congress government has done a cheap politics by removing the freedom struggle made by Savarkar. He remains one of the legendary patriotic hero who suffered ‘Kala Pani’ and was not allowed to meet his real brother who was also lodged in the same prison. By removing his qualities the Congress government is teaching incomplete history to the young generation", former education minister and BJP leader Vasudev Devnani said.


However ruling Congress has stated the charges as baseless, "We have no vested interests, the changes have been done as per the findings of the review committee. The purpose of the committee was to evaluate the changes made by BJP government in the text books during the last five years", Dotasara added.

Earlier in the day Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot during a presser at his residence said that the last BJP government had made RSS dominant everywhere. "Right from the school principal, to vice chancellor to the Cm, the appointment was decided by RSS leaders in Rajasthan during last five years. They also tried to manipulate history, which now Congress government is correcting through the board of the educationists formed in a committee", Gehlot said.

Orders reversed so far by Education Minister

After the congress government came into power education department was asked to review textbooks and other reference material that were revised by the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government. In this regard, the Congress government has asked historians to prepare a report on the revision of textbooks. Education minister Dotasara ensured that the role of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru will be restored in textbooks. Also the colour of cycles distributed in government schools will be changed from Saffron to black.

One of the remarkable decisions made by Rajasthan Education Department was an order to direct school administration to stop the ongoing ritual where school children are asked to welcome the chief guests in their schools or public events. The minister directed the education department to stop the ongoing ritual of giving mementoes and flower bouquets to guests in the school functions.

Last but not the least the Congress government in Rajasthan also reversed the decision of the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to celebrate Valentine's day as 'Matra Pita Pooja Diwas' Parents’ Day. Rajasthan Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra termed the order of the previous government to celebrate 'Matra Pitra Diwas' in schools as ‘drama’. "Every day is a 'matr-pitra' pujan diwas for us, BJP has done lot of nautankis, not anymore", Dotasara tweeted.

Inclusion done in the textbooks

Another change was the inclusion of a chapter on heroic tale of Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who shot down a Pakistani F-16 warplane but was captured and spent about 60 hours in Pakistani custody will be included in the textbooks. Moreover education minister had announced to add a chapter on CRPF personnel who attained martyrdom the recent terrorist attack in Pulwama of Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.