Textbook row: Members of Cong students wing try to create ruckus at Minister's house; 15 held
Bengaluru, June 1: Some members of the Congress' student wing - NSUI (National Students Union of India) - allegedly tried to stage a protest and besiege the house of Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh at Tiptur in Tumakuru district of Karnataka on Wednesday over the school textbook controversy.
The activists were said to be protesting against the textbook review committee, headed by Rohith Chakratirtha, and alleged inclusion of RSS's philosophy in school textbooks. There have been demands for sacking Chakratirtha for allegedly saffronising school textbooks by including in them a lesson on RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar's speech, and for changing the content in the books.
There are also allegations of erroneous content on a 12th century social reformer Basavanna in the textbook, also accusations on insulting poet Kuvempu.
"NSUI workers barging into the premises of the Education Minister B C Nagesh's house and creating a ruckus is condemnable. Such a conduct does not suit students... Merciless action will be taken against those involved in such acts," Bommai tweeted.
State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra's office, in a statement, said the miscreants, said to be from NSUI, entered the premises of Nagesh's house, raised slogans and set fire to the uniform of the RSS.
Police stopped things from getting out of control and took 15 people into custody.
Jnanendra, also in-charge of Tumakuru district, visited Nagesh's residence and took stock of the situation.
Condemning the incident, he said a policeman was injured in the incident. "Strict action will be taken against those involved." The police intervened and pushed protestors outside the premises of Minister's house, official sources said, adding that 15 people have been taken into custody in connection with the incident.
As the news of the alleged ruckus by NSUI activists at Nagesh's house spread, several of his Cabinet colleagues, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, condemned the incident.
Jnanendra, who is also in-charge of Tumakuru district, visited Nagesh's residence and took stock of the situation.
He said a policeman was injured in the incident. "Strict action will be taken against those involved."
State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, State Health Minister K Sudhakar, PWD Minister C C Patil and Power Minister Sunil Kumar too condemned the students wing members.
Meanwhile, Bommai said Nagesh would submit a report on textbook revision on June 2 in the wake of the controversy.
A few seers and literary figures have written to Bommai seeking action on the controversy.
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Indore Congress woman councillor refuses to sing Vande Mataram, triggers row
Indore (PTI): A controversy has erupted after a woman councillor of Congress refused to sing Vande Mataram, citing Islamic beliefs, during a discussion on the Indore Municipal Corporation’s budget.
The refusal by Fauzia Sheikh Alim to sing the national song on Wednesday prompted councillors from the ruling BJP to rush to the chairman’s podium and raise slogans.
Amid the uproar, Chairman Munnalal Yadav directed Alim to leave the House.
The Congress councillor later told reporters that her religion does not allow her to sing ‘Vande Mataram' - a Sanskrit phrase meaning “I bow to thee, Mother”.
Alim said she enjoys religious freedom under the Constitution, and no one can force her to sing Vande Mataram.
As the controversy escalated, Alim said she respects the national song and will continue to do so.
She said that she had stood up to speak at the municipal corporation meeting to raise the issue of contaminated drinking water, but in an attempt to distract the House from the more fundamental issues, BJP councillors asked her to sing Vande Mataram first.
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava described the Congress councillor’s refusal to sing Vande Mataram as unfortunate and alleged that she deliberately arrives late to the municipal corporation meeting so as not to participate in the mass singing of the national song.
Municipal Corporation Leader of the Opposition and Congress councillor Chintu Chouksey distanced himself from the controversy, stating that the party has no concern with Alim’s “personal opinion” on Vande Mataram.
“Vande Mataram is ingrained in every citizen of India. Singing the national song should be mandatory for every citizen,” he added.
Written in 1875 and later included in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel "Anandamath" (1882), ‘Vande Mataram’ became a rallying cry during the freedom movement.
Vande Mataram was first published in the literary magazine “Bangadarshan” as part of Chatterjee's Anandamath.
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