The Karnataka government’s recent decision to modify school textbooks has drawn criticism from senior BJP members in Maharashtra, who see it as an attempt to satisfy a minority. They also requested clarification on his position on the subject from Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) party.
On Thursday, the Karnataka Cabinet approved a number of changes to the social science and Kannada textbooks used in public schools. The modifications would add chapters on Savitribai Phule, Chakravarti Sulibele, Jawaharlal Nehru’s letters to Indira Gandhi, and poetry on BR Ambedkar while removing passages on RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.
Any reforms made by the previous BJP government in Karnataka were being reversed by the current Congress government. While the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the opposition coalition in Maharashtra, the BJP has accused Thackeray of departing from Hindutva values.
Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister, said he anticipated that if the Congress regained power in Karnataka, these revisions will take place. Fadnavis added, ‘The Congress can remove Savarkar and Hedgewar from textbooks, but they cannot erase them from the hearts and minds of the people. The opposition in Maharashtra wants to follow the Karnataka model. I urge Uddhav Thackeray to clarify his position on this matter.’
Thackeray, according to Fadnavis, compromised on his principles in order to gain power. The state head of the BJP in Karnataka, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, also demanded that Thackeray explain his position on the textbook updates and the decision of the present government in Karnataka to abolish the anti-conversion statute.
The Karnataka government also intends to include lessons on social reformer and educator Savitribai Phule, Jawaharlal Nehru’s letters to Indira Gandhi, and poetry on Dr. BR Ambedkar in the textbooks, in addition to omitting chapters on Savarkar and Hedgewar.
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