Bengaluru, Jan 24 Karnataka BJP has urged Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot to initiate a review of the complete curricula of all universities in the state and seek a detailed report on the matter.
The party has also appealed to him to act against intellectual terrorism carried out in the state’s university campuses.
Speaking to the media on Friday at BJP headquarters in Bengaluru, Former Legislative Council member Arun Shahapur emphasised that the Higher Education Council must review contentious elements in textbooks.
He insisted that any divisive content in the curriculum, which fosters a mentality of social division, should be addressed through legal action, including the filing of criminal cases.
He specifically referred to the Kannada textbook for the first-semester BA course at Karnataka University, Dharwad. The book, a collection of essays titled Belagu, includes a controversial piece by Ramalingappa T. Begur discussing the theme ‘Around the Practice of Nationalism’. Shahapur alleged that the essay contains highly contentious elements.
He stated that the writer has included biased perspectives, portraying nationalism in a derogatory light. According to Shahapur, the essay paints Hinduism negatively and describes "Bharat Mata" (Mother India) as a mere fictional concept. He also criticised the writer for opposing the slogan ‘Bolo Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
Shahapur demanded that the university withdraw the textbook, calling the content "intellectual terrorism."
He questioned why no police case had yet been filed in this matter and urged immediate action against the writer.
He also appealed to the ‘Honourable Chancellor’ (the Governor) to intervene if the government fails to act.
According to Shahapur, the writer has made several statements against the ethos of the Constitution, including derogatory remarks about Bharat Mata and Kannada's cultural symbol, Bhuvaneshwari (Kannadamma).
He termed this a misuse of a university’s curriculum and an exploitation of the freedom to form a syllabus.
Shahapur further urged the Chief Minister and the Higher Education Minister to review the current curricula in the state.
He questioned the inaction of the Higher Education Council in addressing contentious content in the syllabus, adding that such distortions in education are dangerous and corrupt young minds.
He accused the essay of questioning the formation of linguistic states and involving itself in divisive rhetoric.
The BJP leader also cited a statement in the essay claiming that "Hindutva as a mythical national supremacy" has recently made Muslims more rigid in India, alleging that this notion corrupts young minds.
Shahapur called for immediate action against the writer and demanded that the controversial essay be removed from the syllabus.
Captain Ganesh Karnik, a former member of the Legislative Council, also criticised the essay, claiming it promotes separatism and incites hatred. He demanded swift action against the author and the removal of the essay from the curriculum.
Legislative Council member Hanumantha Nirani was also present at the press conference.
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