CPI MP writes to Union Education Minister for changes in NCERT textbooks as part of "rationalizing" exercise

New Delhi [India], April 6 : Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam on Thursday wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the drastic changes made to NCERT textbooks as part of "rationalizing" exercise.
Binoy Viswam in a letter to Dharmendra Pradhan said, "This is regarding the drastic changes made to NCERT textbooks as part of the so-called "rationalizing" exercise. Students, teachers and other stakeholders are already raising their concerns with the changes that are introduced.
The letter further read that the omissions made are indeed of a very serious nature. Some of the changes evidently reek of an attempt to omit information about certain periods in Indian history and certain traditions of Indian thought. Most of these changes were brought in social sciences' books also indicate that the government is trying to curtail critical analysis of our society, polity and history.
"One particularly startling omission is the removal of all passages linking Mahatma Gandhi's assassination with the RSS. The new textbook introduced for Class 12 History appears to dilute Nathuram Godse's ideological leanings" Viswam in a letter said
Upper House MP from Kerala further said that the Union Home Ministry, led by Sardar Patel banned the RSS on February 4, 1948 "to root out the forces of hate and violence that are at work in our country and imperil the freedom of the nation and darken her fair name" in the wake of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
"A reference to this end was removed from the textbooks which are nothing but an attempt to conceal the role of RSS in the heinous act from the future generations of students," he said.
"Other changes that were made as part of the "rationalization" exercise are also in nature of either concealing the true history of the country or attempting to distort it. All references to the Gujarat Riots of 2002, including Former PM AB Vajpayee's message to then CM Narendra Modi on following a policy of non-discrimination, have been removed. Similarly, references to the segregation in society created by the Varna system have been omitted. Removal and reduction of content pertaining to the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire and the works of literature and architecture of that period prima facie appears to be communally biased. References to social movements are also omitted to a great extent", he added.
Party National Secretary Binoy Viswam further said that All of these changes, taken in totality, indicate a clear-cut attempt at distorting and communalising the study of the history, polity and society of India.
That this was done by a "panel of experts'' is indicative of how deep ideological bias has entered into our system. These omissions are precluding critical inquiry, defeating the purpose of democratization of knowledge and aiming at homogenization.
"Our young minds deserve the truth and offering them half-truths, omissions and biases is a grave injustice which is sure to imperil our future. Thus, I urge to you to take account of the changes made and take necessary action to rectify the biases from NCERT textbooks to preserve the spirit of critical inquiry and scientific temper in future generations," said Binoy Viswam.