'Deshbhakti' curriculum to start in Delhi govt school from next year: Arvind Kejriwal
New Delhi, Aug 14: The Delhi government will introduce a 'Deshbhakti' curriculum in its schools from the next academic year to inculcate in students love for the country and make them aware of their responsibilities, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on the eve of Independence Day.
Speaking at the launch of the 'Constitution at 70' campaign on Wednesday, Kejriwal said the decision to introduce the curriculum was taken at a meeting on Tuesday between him and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio.
The campaign, which will end on November 26 the day in 1949 when the Constitution of India was adopted, is being held in all government schools. Students of Class 6-9 and Class 11 will be part of the campaign.
Ordinarily we are reminded of our love for the country either when there is an India-Pakistan match or when there is tensions on the border. In our day-to-day lives we forget about our country.The 'Deshbhakti' curriculum is being introduced so that each and every citizen of this country truly loves their country," Kejriwal said at the event.
He said the objective of the curriculum will be to inculcate a feeling of love for the country, respect towards it and respect for guests.
"When our children grow older and start working, and at any point if they accept a bribe, then they must feel from within that they are betraying 'Bharat Mata'. When they jump a traffic light, they must feel they've wronged their country," Kejriwal said.
"We hear of so many incidents where foreign nationals come to India, they are faced with loot, assault, rape. When we hear stories of Indians returning from Japan, we only hear praises for the Japanese and their hospitality. We have to love our country to the extent that we respect it and respect our guests," he said.
The 'Deshbhakti' curriculum is aimed at achieving three important goals-- each and every child must feel proud of the nation, making children aware of their responsibility and duty towards the country, and instill a feeling of passion to sacrifice anything for the nation, the chief minister said.
"Children must be taught about the glories of the country. Each child must be made aware of their responsibility and duty towards the country. India has a hundred problems. We are poor, our farmers commit suicide. But who will solve these problems? It is us who will have to find solutions," he said.
Children have to realise that the problems, the country is facing, will have to be solved by all, Kejriwal stressed.
"We have to create a sense of ownership among all children that they have to take on the challenges we are facing as a country head on and address them. Third, we have to instill among children the passion and commitment to be prepared to sacrifice anything for the nation," he said.
The curriculum will be the "biggest gift to the nation" on the special occasion of the 73rd Independence Day, Kejriwal said.
Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia said teachers and principals of Delhi government schools will be at the forefront of the designing of this curriculum, similar to the way the 'Happiness' and 'Entrepreneurship Mindset' curriculums were designed.
"I have directed the department to form a cell to drive this and take inputs from people across the country. I am optimistic that by the next academic year we will be able to launch this curriculum," he said.
The announcement of the 'Deshbhakti' curriculum comes ahead of the Delhi assembly poll, which is due early next year.
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Criticism of PM Modi, repeated mentions of guarantees to be highlights of K’taka Budget: LoP Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Thursday took a dig at CM Siddaramaiah ahead of the state Budget presentation, claiming that the government is expected to borrow Rs 1.15 lakh crore and is likely to impose fresh taxes on the people.
He said the Budget would have nothing new, adding that its highlights would be criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and repeated mentions of the five guarantee schemes ('Shakti', 'Gruha Lakshmi', 'Gruha Jyoti, 'Yuva Nidhi' and 'Anna Bhagya').
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the 2026–27 Budget on March 6. This will be his record 17th budget.
“Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s budget will be presented tomorrow. While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reduced the tax burden in the Union Budget, Siddaramaiah is known for imposing taxes on people. He imposes about four taxes a month and has already introduced 36 taxes, and is now looking for ways to impose more,” Ashoka said.
Speaking to reporters, he said the Congress had promised people before coming to power that the guarantee schemes would be implemented without imposing any burden on them.
“By the end of the chief minister’s term, the state’s total debt will probably exceed Rs 6 lakh crore. The government has already breached financial discipline. Siddaramaiah and his government are somehow managing the situation,” Ashoka claimed, adding that his borrowings as CM equal those of 12 or 13 former chief ministers combined.
Stating that the Budget should create higher revenue sources, ensure that no burden is placed on people, and take the state away from debt, the opposition leader said this could be ensured only by a “clever and intelligent finance minister.”
“Anyone can run a government by pushing the state into debt,” he said, accusing Siddaramaiah of “increasing the state’s debt and failing to meet the expectations of the people.”
Highlighting that Siddaramaiah blames the previous BJP government for everything, Ashoka said Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister during the previous BJP government, had presented a “surplus budget,” without excessive borrowings.
“Despite having the opportunity to borrow more while staying within the parameters of financial discipline, he (Bommai) did not do so, as it would burden the people,” he said, accusing Siddaramaiah of borrowing crores of rupees every year.
“I feel that this time too, he will take a loan of Rs 1.15 lakh crore,” he claimed.
The BJP leader said he had written to the CM requesting an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore annually for the development of backward taluks, as recommended by the High Power Committee on Redressal of Regional Imbalance (HPCRRI), chaired by economist Prof M Govinda Rao.
Claiming that the government appears “inactive” due to internal rifts, Ashoka pointed to an ongoing power struggle between factions led by Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar over the CM’s post.
“Amid all this, we cannot expect anything new from this Budget. The CM will repeatedly speak about the guarantee schemes and target the central government and PM Modi. Criticising Modi and repeated mentions of the five guarantee schemes will be the highlight of this Budget. Other than that, there will be nothing new,” he added.
He also dismissed the CM's claim that the government had achieved 90 per cent of the promises made in the previous Budget. “The fact is that not even 9 per cent has been achieved. I have evidence for it,” he said.
Ashoka further alleged that the government had also failed in tax collection, achieving only 48 per cent of the target, and had released less than 40 per cent of the allocated funds to some departments.
