Congress slams textbook panel chief for parody on Karnataka anthem

BS Nagesh, Karnataka’s minister for primary and secondary education, said that Chakratheertha was more than qualified to be the chairperson of the textbook revision committee. “He was a professor and a lecturer for IIT and CET. He is an academic expert,” Nagesh said.

Leader of the opposition and Congress leader Siddaramaiah criticised the chairman of the textbook revision committee on Monday for a 2017 parody post on ‘Rashtra Kavi’ Kuvempu’s ‘naada geethe’ or state anthem, one of the most revered songs in Karnataka.

Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s statements come after a screenshot of a post by committee chairman Chakratheertha on March 16, 2017 went viral on social media where he has made a parody of the state anthem. (ANI)

“A person who distorted the state anthem and made fun of the Rashtra Kavi has been made the chairperson of the textbook revision committee. If the BJP government has any shame, they should remove this person,” Siddaramaiah said in a post on Twitter.

His statements come after a screenshot of a post by committee chairman Chakratheertha on March 16, 2017 went viral on social media where he has made a parody of the state anthem “Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujathe, Jayahe Karnataka Maathe” to criticise the Congress party who was in power at the time in Karnataka.

In the 2017 post, a post attributed to Chakratheetha stated “Jaya Congress jananiya tanujate, jayahe Arabic maathe….”. The parody verse continued with the mention of alcohol, meat and other jokes meant to target the Congress.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was quick to respond to criticism by Congress.

BS Nagesh, Karnataka’s minister for primary and secondary educationsaid that Chakratheertha was more than qualified to be the chairperson of the textbook revision committee.

“He was a professor and a lecturer for IIT and CET. He is an academic expert,” Nagesh said.