Karnataka education minister B C Nagesh blames Baraguru panel for textbook row

Former textbook revision committee chairman Baraguru Ramachandrappa was responsible for present controversies surrounding school textbooks in the state, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh alleged here on Saturday.

“All textbooks were revised by the committee headed by Baraguru Ramachandrappa. The government has now revised Kannada and Social Science textbooks. The lesson on Bhagat Singh hasn’t been withdrawn,” he clarified.

Nagesh told reporters, ”The lesson about the warriors who fought against the British deals with Tipu Sultan. Didn’t Veera Madakari Nayaka, Kittu Rani Chennamma and Halagali Beda community leaders fight against the British? Is it wrong to include lessons about them in the textbooks? Did they fight against Siddaramaiah?”

The minister said that the Mysuru Wadiyar pledged ornaments of his wife for the construction of KRS dam. "Shouldn’t the government impart lessons on such kings to students? Was it correct to replace the lesson on Sindhu Culture with the one on letters written by Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter?", he asked.

“All 13 historians mentioned in the list are Englishmen. Didn’t the previous committee find even one Indian historian?” Nagesh sought to know.

“The Baraguru Ramachandrappa led committee included lessons on various religions. It didn’t even have the courtesy to refer to Hinduism,” the minister expressed displeasure.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Tumakuru, Rohith Chakrahirtha, the chairperson of textbook revision committee said that it was the discretion of the government to include a lesson authored by Kannada writer Devanur Mahadeva in school textbooks.