All you wanted to know about the textbook controversy

By Farhan Irfan Gheta | NT
Bengaluru

The textbook controversy has been hogging headlines after academics, writers, students and opposition parties raised objections to the recommendations of the State Textbook Revision Committee. They felt that chapters written by many progressive writers have been dropped and replaced with the works of writers who endorse the Sangh Parivar ideology. In addition to that, lessons about certain historical personalities have been dropped or suggestively tampered with. The committee headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha oversaw 83 revisions in Social Science (Classes 6 to 10) and Kannada (Classes 1 to 10) textbooks.

How and why did it start?
The controversy started when the Karnataka Brahmin Mahasabha complained to Minister for Primary and Secondary Education B. C. Nagesh that certain lessons in Class 6 and 8 Social Science textbooks portrayed Brahmins in bad light, and hence hurt their religious sentiments. In response to this, a 16-member committee was set up to revise the textbooks in September of 2021. Rohith Chakrathirtha was appointed as its head. His appointment was criticised by many academics who foresaw the committee’s plans to saffronise the textbooks. 
Professor Baragur Ramachandrappa, the former head of the textbook revision committee, called the formation of the review panel “unacceptable” and added that “party politics and prejudice should not interfere in the textbook issue.” 

Dr VP Niranjanaradhya called it “the first step towards the saffornisation of education”. 
Chakrathirtha then insisted that the academics wait for the report of the committee before criticising his appointment. The report was submitted in March of 2022. 
The controversy reignited when reports emerged that lessons on Bhagat Singh were replaced by speeches of RSS founder K.B Hedgewar. The Karnataka Textbook Society quickly confirmed that no lessons on Bhagat Singh had been dropped but Hedgewar’s speeches had been included in the syllabus. Since then the methods of revision, the head of the committee and the purpose of the revisions have all drawn the public ire.

Who protested against the revisions?
Many prominent seers and swamis of the Lingayat community have expressed their concerns about the way Basavanna has been portrayed in the revised textbooks. Sri Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swami of Sanehalli warned of an inevitable agitation if the mistakes were not corrected. He says the revisions have disgraced the “pure and transparent life of Basavanna”. Other swamis from the Lingayat community have urged the CM to take immediate action against the misinformation about Basavanna and withdraw the textbooks before students are taught incorrect history. 
Many scholars have protested against the committee because it is headed by a person who had insulted the great poet Kuvempu and his work. Rohith Chakrathirtha had posted a distorted version of the state anthem to mock the Congress and their politics on his social media and many scholars have considered his appointment a sign of disrespect to Kuvempu. Hampa Nagarajaiah, respected poet and writer, submitted his resignation from the Presidency of Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishthana in protest.
The revised textbooks reportedly excluded lessons about Periyar, Sree Narayana Guru, Savitribai Phule, Kanakadsa, Purandara Dasa and other important social reformers. The contributions of Dr B. R Ambedkar have also been downplayed and this drew the ire of many Dalit organisations

 What did academics say?
Writer SG Siddaramaih noted that “those who are spreading communal hate in the society are being honoured by the government instead of punishing them and this has led to anxiety and fear.”
Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy, Irappa M Kambli, Chahdrashekara Talya, Devanuru Mahadeva, Dr G Ramakrishna and many other writers withdrew their consent to publish their work. “It is an intellectual travesty that children are being fed poison through textbooks.” Dr Ramakrishna said.

 How did the government respond?
The government ferociously defended the revisions and Rohith Chakratirtha.
Minister Nagesh claimed that his government was teaching students “real history”. The government defended the inclusion of Hedgewar’s speech by claiming that the speech has nothing to do with his ideology. 
The Chief Minister dissolved the textbook revision committee and assured the Lingayat Community that the government was “open to revision of objectionable content”. 
On Monday, the government admitted to ‘errors’ regarding portrayal of Dr. Ambedkar. The government also promised to rectify them. 

 Where does the controversy stand now?
The committee has been