NCERT books row: Kerala can print books independently

Kerala will always uphold secular and constitutional values. We firmly believe omitted portions should be taught in schools, said Kerala education minister.

Amid the row over the decision to omit certain portions from the NCERT (National Council for Educational Research and Training) school textbooks, Kerala education minister V Sivankutty on Friday said the state can print its own books if the Union government denies permission to teach omitted lessons.

Kerala education minister says state can print their own books if lessons omitted. (Wikimedia Commoons)

Addressing a meeting in Kochi, he said the move to leave certain portions from history textbooks like the Mughal era and Gujarat riots was wrong and the government has already informed the Union government and NCERT about its strong reservations.

“Kerala will always uphold secular and constitutional values. We firmly believe omitted portions should be taught in schools. You cannot twist history like this. We are examining how to teach them. We can print textbooks independently,” he said, adding “Majority of teachers have also condemned the move to change the history to suit political lines.”

“What the NCERT did is unacceptable to us. If the situation continued like this the state will be forced to print its textbooks. The Centre cannot impose its ideals on states like this. We will be forced to pursue alternate options,” he said adding the Centre should reconstitute the NCERT Board by giving ample representation to states.

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Earlier chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also criticised the move and sent a letter to the Union government.

“You cannot reject historical facts which are inconvenient by just cutting them out from textbooks. The Sangh Parivar lives in constant fear of history as it exposes its true colours. They resort to rewriting history and masking it with lies,” he had tweeted last week condemning the move.

He said, “Saffronisation of schoolbooks was the objective behind the move and all democratic forces should oppose it.”