Sanehalli seer warns of state-wide agitation over textbook chapter on Basavanna

The seer alleged that the lesson contains wrong information about the social reformer of the 12th century

Sanehalli-based Taralabalu Branch Mutt Seer Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji has warned Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai that a state-wide agitation against the government may become inevitable if it fails to revise the lesson containing wrong information about 12th century social reformer Basavanna in class 9 social science textbook.

In the letter addressed to the chief minister, the seer on Tuesday said that either the government has to correct the mistakes about Basavanna in the textbook or continue the old text book to safeguard the interests of students and teachers.

Stating that the lesson on Basavanna in class 9 social science textbook is misleading, he pointed out a sentence that reads "Vachana poets reformed Veerashaiva religion". He said that Basavanna introduced the Lingayat religion.

"Basavannna has been portrayed wrongly in the lesson," he said, adding that some important lines had been removed from the lesson and unwanted information had been included.

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Referring to the ongoing issue of the school textbook revision committee chief, he said, people from various walks of life are objecting to the panel and the move to revise the textbook. The revised textbooks are not available in the market to see the changes that have been made. This is the ground reality in the state. Schools have started functioning for the past 15 days but textbooks are not available in the market. What should teachers do in classrooms? he questioned.

The seer said that it is evident that members in the school textbook revision committee belong to one particular community. But the panel must contain people from various sections of the society including educationists, people with good vision and social concern. There is no scope for caste and party politics, he added.

Writers approach education minister

Meawhile, in protest against the alleged saffronisation of school curriculum in Karnataka, noted poet Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy on Tuesday asked Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh to exclude his poem titled Nanna Kavithege from the Kannada textbook for class 5.

In the letter addressed to the minister, the poet said the Kannada literary field is shocked by the ongoing school textbook issue. The books revised by the new panel constituted by the government have added wrong information about Basavanna and insulted poet laureate Kuvempu. All these unwanted developments in the education field are regretted. "So, I have made up my mind to withdraw permission given to the government for the inclusion of my poem in the school textbook," he added.

Another writer Erappa M Kambali has also written a letter to the education minister stating that he has decided to withdraw permission given for the inclusion of his essay titled Heegondu top Payana in class 10 Kannada textbook (third language) in the past.