Demonetisation ‘campaign to wipe out black money’ in Rajasthan board textbooks
The Congress condemned the revised textbooks of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education.
In the history of the Indian economy, demonetisation is known as the “campaign to wipe out the black money”, a Class 12 political science textbook of the Rajasthan government claims.
The book terms the surprise move by the Narendra Modi government in November 2016 to abolish Rs500 and Rs1,000 currency notes as “Kale Dhan Ki Safai Abhiyan.”
The recently-released textbooks also say that the illiterate and less literate people in the country were the greatest hindrance towards a cashless economy. The books will be taught in thousands of schools across Rajasthan.
The Class 12 economics textbook, which has a chapter on demonetisation, says that less literate people try to evade entering into cashless transactions.
The books list the objective of demonetisation as to end corruption and to stop the use of black money in elections.
Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani had told HT last year that a chapter on cashless economy will be introduced in the textbooks.
“In the aftermath of demonetisation, in order to encourage cashless transactions, the government has spent Rs94 crore in advertisements. Digital transaction is a much easier medium and is important for the growing economy of India,” reads the chapter from the economics book.
Similarly, the political science book explains that along with solving the problem of black money, demonetisation will be instrumental in reining in terrorist activities across India.
The books come at a time when the effects of demonetisation are being widely-debated even as the opposition has termed the move as dictatorial.
Congress: Politicisation of academics unacceptable
The opposition Congress in Rajasthan on Thursday condemned revised textbooks of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education.
“This is being done with a political agenda. Distorting history in school textbooks and academics has become their (the BJP’s) habit,” state Congress chief Sachin Pilot said.
“Politicising young children is absolutely unacceptable…We condemn this... we won’t let them succeed,” he added.
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said, “History will never forgive them. Truth will prevail,” he said.