10-27-2005, 09:22 AM
History books court controversy again
Abraham Thomas / New Delhi
Reference to plundering Jats, beef-eating Brahmins hurts sentiments-------- The Delhi High Court has asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to explain why its history textbooks be not withdrawn for carrying objectionable content against the Brahmin and Jat community of the country.
The issue came up for consideration after the Arya Jat Mahasabha and former deputy mayor Mahesh Chandra Sharma filed separate applications in a public interest litigation pending before court.
The petitioners alleged that the history textbooks introduced by NCERT for Class VI-XII sought to show the Brahmin and Jat communities in a bad light. While Jats were depicted as plunderers, Brahmins were shown sacrificing cows and being beef eaters.
In his application, Mr Sharma alleged that in the Class XI history textbook, written by Ram Sharan Sharma, there was a specific reference to the Brahmin community who were accused of sacrificing cows on a large scale. Further in a Class VI history book, authored by historian Romila
Thapar it was written that Aryans and Brahmins offered beef to guests as a mark of honour. This had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus for whom the cow is a sacred animal.
The Division Bench of Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma while taking cognizance of these facts asked the NCERT to respond within four weeks. The court had earlier issued notices to NCERT, the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development, after a petition was filed by five persons who challenged the NCERT's decisions to come out with revised textbooks.
The petitioners, represented by senior counsel RP Bansal told the court that in 2000, a National Curriculum Framework of Secondary
Education (NCFSE) was framed and implemented by NCERT based on which a syllabus was prepared. When the same was challenged in Supreme Court, NCERT gave an undertaking that owing to objectionable remarks against certain communities in the textbooks available in schools, the same would be withdrawn and fresh textbooks issued in accordance with the NCFSE-2000. But NCERT came out with the old textbooks yet again.
The Arya Jat Mahasabha claimed that the Class XII history textbooks contained derogatory remarks against the Jat community. Annexing portions of the text, the Jat Mahasabha stated, that school children were taught that Jats were plunderers and changed sides to suit their advantage, Taking objection to the same, the Jats demanded the deletion of the said portions. The court referred their matter to NCERT asking them to prepare a detailed response by December 7, the next date of hearing.
Abraham Thomas / New Delhi
Reference to plundering Jats, beef-eating Brahmins hurts sentiments-------- The Delhi High Court has asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to explain why its history textbooks be not withdrawn for carrying objectionable content against the Brahmin and Jat community of the country.
The issue came up for consideration after the Arya Jat Mahasabha and former deputy mayor Mahesh Chandra Sharma filed separate applications in a public interest litigation pending before court.
The petitioners alleged that the history textbooks introduced by NCERT for Class VI-XII sought to show the Brahmin and Jat communities in a bad light. While Jats were depicted as plunderers, Brahmins were shown sacrificing cows and being beef eaters.
In his application, Mr Sharma alleged that in the Class XI history textbook, written by Ram Sharan Sharma, there was a specific reference to the Brahmin community who were accused of sacrificing cows on a large scale. Further in a Class VI history book, authored by historian Romila
Thapar it was written that Aryans and Brahmins offered beef to guests as a mark of honour. This had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus for whom the cow is a sacred animal.
The Division Bench of Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma while taking cognizance of these facts asked the NCERT to respond within four weeks. The court had earlier issued notices to NCERT, the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development, after a petition was filed by five persons who challenged the NCERT's decisions to come out with revised textbooks.
The petitioners, represented by senior counsel RP Bansal told the court that in 2000, a National Curriculum Framework of Secondary
Education (NCFSE) was framed and implemented by NCERT based on which a syllabus was prepared. When the same was challenged in Supreme Court, NCERT gave an undertaking that owing to objectionable remarks against certain communities in the textbooks available in schools, the same would be withdrawn and fresh textbooks issued in accordance with the NCFSE-2000. But NCERT came out with the old textbooks yet again.
The Arya Jat Mahasabha claimed that the Class XII history textbooks contained derogatory remarks against the Jat community. Annexing portions of the text, the Jat Mahasabha stated, that school children were taught that Jats were plunderers and changed sides to suit their advantage, Taking objection to the same, the Jats demanded the deletion of the said portions. The court referred their matter to NCERT asking them to prepare a detailed response by December 7, the next date of hearing.