Chapter on controversial Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan dropped from text book in Karnataka

The revised syllabus from class 1 to 10 for the state board schools has been uploaded to the Department of State Education Research and Training website which reflects this change.

Karnataka has dropped a chapter on controversial former Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan in the Class 7 syllabus as a part of its exercise to cut around 30 percent content due to delayed reopening of schools because of the ongoing pandemic. The revised syllabus from class 1 to 10 for the state board schools has been uploaded to the Department of State Education Research and Training website which reflects this change.

Representational image. (HT file)

However, a chapter on the controversial ruler has been retained in Class 6 and Class 10 syllabus. Defending the move Karnataka Textbook Society Director Made Gowda said “ Too much should not be read into the rationalizing of the syllabus. It has been done keeping in view that the number of academic days has reduced from 220 to 120 days this year due to the delayed opening of schools. Anyway, Tipu Sultan continues to be taught in Class 6 and Class 10.”

The Mysore ruler who lived from 1750-1799 is considered controversial as while one section believes him to be the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ who took on the British for India’s independence, right-wing elements say that he was responsible for aggressive proselytization and massacre of a large number of the majority Hindu community.

Immediately after assuming power last year, the BS Yediyurappa led BJP government in the state had dropped celebrating the annual ‘Tipu Jayanti’ - the birth anniversary - which the previous Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah had introduced in 2015.

Congress immediately lashed out at the decision of the state government to drop the chapter on Tipu Sultan. KPCC President D K Shivakumar said “Tipu does not belong to one caste or religion. he is a part of our national history. BJP for its political ends is trying to twist history. Even President Kovind when he came to Karnataka had praised Tipu’s contribution. We will study the issue and not allow the government to rewrite and falsify history.”

However, the move was welcomed by BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan who in October last year had written to the state government asking that references to Tipu Sultan be removed from textbooks. “He is a tyrant who was responsible for the massacre of Kodavas. In spite of doing so many bad things he was needlessly praised. I am happy that at least in one textbook he has been removed.”