Chapter on Bhagat Singh not removed: Karnataka Textbook Society
Bengaluru, May 17: Amid allegations in some quarters that a lesson on freedom fighter Bhagat Singh was omitted, the Karnataka Textbook Society on Tuesday clarified that the chapter has not been removed, and the Kannada textbook of Class 10 is currently at the printing stage.
Organisations like All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and All-India Save Education Committee (AISEC) had alleged that a speech by RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was included in the textbook, while omitting a lesson on Bhagat Singh.
"Currently there are reports in the media that a lesson on Hedgewar has been included into class 10 first language Kannada text book by omitting a chapter on Bhagat Singh. The reality is that the chapter on Bhagat Singh has not been omitted from textbooks," the society said in a statement.
It is hereby clarified that the revised first language Kannada textbook of class 10 is currently under printing, it said.
Noting that the committee headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha was constituted to examine Social Science and language textbooks and revise them, the clarification note further said, the Committee has revised Social Science text books from class 6 to 10 and Kannada language text books from class 1 to 10.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh on Monday defended inclusion of a speech by Hedgewar in a revised Kannada textbook.
He had said that the textbook does not contain anything about Hedgewar or RSS, but only his speech on what should be an inspiration to people, especially the youth, and that those who have raised objections have not gone through the textbook.
The organisations have also alleged that works by renaissance literary figures like A N Murthi Rao's 'Vyaghrageethe,' P Lankesh's 'Mruga Mattu Sundari,' and Sara Aboobacker's 'Yuddha' were omitted from the textbook.
Commenting on the issue, Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar said: "Today they are removing Bhagat Singh, tomorrow they will remove Mahatma Gandhi."
"Let us never forget the sacrifices of those who freed us from colonialism," he added.
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TN Governor should invite Vijay to form govt, then prove majority: Former MP Prakash Ambedkar
Mumbai: Senior politician and constitutional expert Prakash Ambedkar has opined that Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar should invite the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam President Vijay to form the government as his party emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections.
Ambedkar, who is a Mumbai-based advocate, activist and also the grandson of Dr. BR Ambedkar, is a former Parliamentarian.
Citing articles from the Constitution and similar incidents in the political history of the nation, Prakash Ambedkar has explained why Vijay cannot be stopped from forming the government in Tamil Nadu, reports Deccan Herald.
“Merely doubt over whether the TVK has the necessary number cannot suffice to withhold the invitation to the party to form the government. The Governor should invite Vijay, President of TVK, the single-largest party, to form the government and assume office as the next Chief Minister. After taking charge, as per the Article 164 (2) of the Constitution, Vijay will have to prove that his government has a majority in the House,” Ambedkar explained.
He also gave examples from India’s political history supporting his argument.
Ambedkar cited the example of the 1989 Lok Sabha elections and said that, although the Congress (I) emerged the single-largest party with 194 seats, Rajiv Gandhi declined the invitation by President R Venkataraman to form the government. “My friend Vishwanath Pratap Singh, leader of the National Front, was then invited and sworn in as Prime Minister on December 2, 1989,” he added.
He then recalled the 1996 elections to the Lower House of the Parliament, when the BJP emerged the single-largest party, but the Parliament was hung as the BJP lacked a majority. “Atal Bihari Vajpayee was invited by President Shankar Dayal Sharma to form the government and was sworn in as Prime Minister. Vajpayee resigned 13 days later on May 28, 1996, after failing to secure majority support in the Lok Sabha,” Ambedkar explained.
