Deve Gowda asks Bommai to withdraw new school textbooks, CM convenes meet

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday shot off a blistering letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai demanding withdrawal of the new school textbooks, prompting him to summon a meeting of the education department.

Gowda asked the government to continue with textbooks revised by the previous Baraguru Ramachandrappa committee. “The numerous mistakes and injustices in the new textbooks cannot be corrected just by corrigendum's or by printing separate pages," Gowda stated.

"The chairman of the Textbook Review Committee, Rohith Chakrathirtha, has insulted the state anthem penned by Kuvempu. His announcement to reward those who distort the state anthem in a vulgar manner is also a big insult to Kuvempu. Comparing the Karnataka flag to an underwear is an insult to the state's identity," Gowda said, adding that the decision to appoint Chakratirtha to head the textbook revision commission was the first mistake.

Listing out 'complaints' against the revised textbooks, Gowda said the photograph of Kuvempu was removed from a chapter on unification of Karnataka in the Social Sciences textbook, objectives of Basavanna's movement is ignored and portions on the services by Siddaganga and Adichunchanagiri seers are removed. Also, the prefix 'Architect of the Constitution' for B R Ambedkar is deleted, Gowda said.

Also read: Keep party politics out of textbooks!

Gowda also sent Bommai a copy of the charter of demands adopted by the Vishwamanava Krantikari Mahakavi Kuvempu Horata Samiti last week during a protest at Freedom Park. The demands include withdrawing the new textbooks, arresting Chakratirtha for 'treason' and resignation of Primary & Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh.

Speaking to reporters, Bommai acknowledged Gowda's letter. "I will convene a meeting with the education minister and officials to examine concerns expressed in the letter," he said, adding that he would "seriously" consider the former prime minister's advise. "I will see what we can do and take decisions, and also respond respectfully to the former PM."

'Previous panels also got Basavanna wrong'

Sanehalli Mutt pontiff Panditaradya Shivacharya Swami, who had slammed the new textbooks for "distorting" Basavanna, said even the previous Baraguru Ramachandrappa and GS Mudambadithaya committees got its contents wrong. "The Mudambadithaya committee had aspects slanderous to Basava philosophy. The Baraguru Ramachandrappa committee's textbook had errors such as 'Basavanna propagated Veerashaiva philosophy' and that 'he took Linga Deekshe in the presence of Shaiva gurus'. It's better if an entirely new chapter on Basavanna is commissioned," he stated in a letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.