Objectionable content against Islam, Muslims in B.Ed course book: author apologizes for “mistake”
Mangaluru: Objectionable content against Islam and Muslims found in the syllabus book of B.Ed. course “Mowlya Darshana The Essence of Value Education” stirred controversy on local social media platforms after pictures of the said content went viral.
The book authored by BR Ramachandraiah is reportedly taught in B.Ed. courses across various universities including Mangalore University. The content of the book, pictures of which are going viral, depicts descriptions of Islam in an objectionable way saying Islam wants Jihad and War while the general public wants peace, harmony, and kindness.
Several Educationists and activists expressed their anguish over the content that is being taught to the budding teachers who will go on to teach students at various levels.
“No one can doubt that there are plurality of ideals and plurality of values as well as cultures. For Muslims Allah is “uberall”, Islam is the only ideal. The general public want kindness, peace and harmony. Islam wants Jihad war and Dar-Ul-Islam,” one of the article about plurality in the book read.
“We believe in multiple values that are objective and these multiple values are essence of humanity. Unfortunately, for Muslims the Koran in everything which contains subjective fancies of MohaMad. Muslims are able to tolerate only koranic values and able to live by it. And it is damaging and this desert originated, outdated values are detestable. Muslims are indoctrinated with false information and false belief. For Muslims one set of values is true and this parochialism results in totalitarianism and hostility. Their inflamed notion that only Islamic values is true and other values are to be condemned in a form of pathological extremism. This Islamic parochialism has led, to unimaginable horrors. Muslims claim that Islamic values are superior is totally incompatible with today’s pluralism and multiculturalism,”(sic) some of the contents in the book further read.
Among those who reacted to the development was Educationist Niranjanaradhya VP and said the content was highly objectionable. He added that the author was targeting a particular section of the society with an ulterior motive.
“This is highly objectionable. The irony is that the author himself is parochial in his understanding and approach while talking about parochialism. He is clearly targeting a particular section of the Indian society with an ulterior motive of targeting and branding them as fundamentalists. Parochialism is in all sections and religions and that need to be addressed as a whole but not with the intention of only pointing a particular section with a hidden agenda of partisan,” Niranjanaradhya told Vartha Bharati.
Popular Front of India (PFI) also condemned the addition of objectionable contents in the book that is taught to B.Ed. course and blamed the BJP government for manipulating the education system by including Islamophobic content in the syllabus. The organization also called for criminal cases against the author and publishers of the books.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati over a phone call, the author BR Ramachandraiah, went on record to admit to the “mistake” on his part for authoring the content and apologized for the same. He added that the content has been withdrawn from the further publications of the book.
Ramachandraiah who initially denied having any such content in his book against any particular community, later said “It was our mistake and we are sorry for the content, this should not have published in the first place,” the author told Vartha Bharati after the pictures of the content that are going viral were shared with him.
“We have removed the content from the book in further publications. I admit it was wrong but it was not meant to be there to spread negativity. It was explaining the plurality of all the religions. But the whole chapter of the explanation of plurality of the religions has been taken down from further publications of the book,” he said.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
