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K’taka plans to revise syllabus, alter chapters on Tipu Sultan
Karnataka primary and secondary education minister BC Nagesh on Friday said a report by the committee recommended alterations to the textbooks in the state, especially regarding references to Tipu Sultans.
The Karnataka government plans to revise school textbooks, with a focus on chapters that “glorify” 18th-century Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan, officials familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Karnataka primary and secondary education minister BC Nagesh on Friday said a report by the committee recommended alterations to the textbooks in the state, especially regarding references to Tipu Sultans.
“I have received the report by the committee. It (report) will be implemented from next academic year after discussion,” said Nagesh, refusing to divulge in further details. An official in the know of the matter, on anonymity, said the report proposes changes to history lessons on 18th century ruler Tipu Sultan.
The decision comes amid the government already facing criticism over the hijab row and ban on Muslim traders in Hindu temples. The committee suggested that while the chapter on Tipu Sultan should be retained, certain parts that ‘glorifies’ the ruler be removed, said the official quoted above. Details on which parts have been removed are not available, however, the official said that the committee has removed certain ‘imbalances’ in the syllabus and kept the chapter ‘neutral’.
The committee is headed by writer Rohith Chakrathirtha, who is regarded as a right-wing thinker. The Opposition Congress had described his appointment by the ruling BJP as an attempt to ‘saffronise’ education.
The Mysore ruler who lived from 1750-1799 is considered controversial as one section believes him to be the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ who took on the British for India’s Independence, while the others say that he was responsible for aggressive proselytization and massacre of a large number of the Hindu community.
The official said the committee has included lessons on the Ahom dynasty, which ruled Northeast India for 600 years, and the Karkota dynasty, which ruled many parts of north India. The committee has also suggested a chapter on Baba Budangiri and Dattapeeth, which is known as the ‘Ayodhya of South India’. The committee has also suggested a chapter on the history of Kashmir.
“You (media) should ask the government why they are removing it (from text books)? And by removing any mention of Tipu Sultan, his character and contribution will not come down,” said Congress legislator UT Khader“He is been placed now in the London Museum also. When tourists go to Srirangapatana, Devanahalli and other places...these are things that they (government) cannot remove? By removing about him from text books, the students will be deprived from learning about his fight against the British and other history associated with him,” he said.
Immediately after assuming power in 2019, the BS Yediyurappa led BJP government in the state had dropped the annual ‘Tipu Jayanti’ birth anniversary celebrations which the previous Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah had introduced in 2015. In July 2020, the government had dropped a chapter on Tipu Sultan in the Class 7 syllabus as a part of its exercise to cut around 30% content due to delayed reopening of schools because of the pandemic. However, a chapter on him was retained in Class 6 and Class 10 syllabus.
(With Agency inputs).
