Bengaluru, May 24 Amid the hue and cry over the issue of revision of textbooks by the BJP-led government in Karnataka, Education Minister B.C. Nagesh on Tuesday, stiffening his stand, said there is no question of further revision of textbooks.
"The textbooks are already being published," he said, adding that they have not taken up "the exercise of saffronisation of textbooks".
"We are looking through a lens. We are not seeing any colour. We are only able to see school children. The revision work is done in the interest of children," he said.
When asked about the stand taken by the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah who also made the charges of saffronisation, the Minister said "fearing loss of Muslim votes, he is opposing the revision exercise".
"The Congress party is spreading lies. They tried with Tipu Sultan, Narayana Guru, Bhagat Singh, Basavanna and miserably failed. Now, they are raking up the issue of insulting the legendary Kannada writer Kuvempu.
"Siddaramaiah headed Congress government had dropped four lessons of Kuvempu and an attempt is being made to include all those lessons now," he said.
He also invited Siddaramaiah to read the textbook first and then make remarks.
"The Congress has converted the Department of Education as an instrument of ensuring their vote bank. Is Tipu Sultan, the only freedom fighter from Karnataka? The textbooks have already been published and there is no question of their revision again," he stated.
"Students must also know that Tipu Sultan imposed Persian language in Karnataka. They are not dependent only on texts. They will know the other side of the story. It is better to present the facts," he said.
"Siddaramaiah should stop thinking himself as the most knowledgeable person. He had misfire on all occasions when he targeted BJP," he added.
Some organisations, political parties, writers, women organisations and NGOs have decided to stage a state-level protest against "saffronisation of school and college syllabus by the ruling BJP government in Karnataka" on May 31.
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