NCERT's Covid-19 modules glorify PM Modi’s pandemic management, omit death toll: Report
New Delhi: New Covid-19 reading modules developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) reportedly laud Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership during the pandemic but omit any mention of the death toll.
The release of these educational materials comes shortly after the latest government data showed that Covid deaths was six times higher than official figures released in 2021, as reported by The Telegraph on Thursday. According to the Civil Registration System data published on May 7, approximately 21 lakh more deaths were recorded in 2021 compared to the Centre’s claim of 3.3 lakh Covid-related fatalities for that year.
The apex textbook-preparing body has developed four Covid-19 modules as additional reading material for students across different age groups—ranging from pre-school to Class XII. However, none of them mention the pandemic's death toll or reflect the widespread suffering endured during India’s devastating Covid waves.
The middle school (Classes VI to VIII) module, titled “An Indian Perspective of Prevention and Management of Covid-19”, credits PM Modi with initiating early preventive steps. “He requested the citizens to follow certain measures to ensure the containment of fast fast-spreading virus,” the text, as cited by The Telegraph, read.
It then discussed the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced on March 24, 2020, describing it as a move by “the Indian Government,” notably omitting Modi’s name.
The module, according to the report, also praised Indian scientists for developing a Covid-19 vaccine within a short span of time and stated that “Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Indian scientists and launched the vaccination drive through video conferencing.”
Additionally, the module mentioned an economic stimulus package announced by Modi but reportedly offered limited insight into the hardships faced by scores of people during the lockdown imposed during the global pandemic.
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Karnataka by-polls: Cong ahead in Bagalkot, BJP leads in Davanagere South
Bengaluru (PTI): Trends show Congress and BJP have maintained leads respectively in Karnataka's Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly seats, where counting of votes is underway on Monday, for the bypolls held for two seats on April 9.
The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
According to the Election Commission, Congress party's Umesh Meti was ahead of BJP's Veerabhadrayya Charantimath by a margin of 9,969 votes in Bagalkot.
In Davanagere South, BJP's Srinivas T Dasakariyappa was leading over Congress party's Samarth Mallikarjun by a margin of 8,539 votes.
Nine and 25 candidates were in the fray, respectively in the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly segments.
