BJP writes to Javadekar after map in Bengal school exam shows parts of J-K in China
Bengal education minister Partha Chaterjee claims the BJP is misleading the people by showing a doctored map.
The Bengal unit of the BJP has written to Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar complaining against the Bengal education department for allegedly distributing a distorted map in a recent school examination.
State BJP general secretary Raju Banerjee alleged in the letter that in a recent examination of Class 10, the map given to the students in geography paper showed parts of Jammu and Kashmir in China. He also alleged that Arunachal Pradesh was shown as a separate area from India in the map.
“The map has been authorised by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), a board now run by members nominated by Government of West Bengal and works under Department of Education. The water mark of WBBSE is evidently present in the backdrop of this anti-national map. It is informed that this map has been supplied to the schools by Teachers Cell of Trinamool Congress,” Banerjee wrote.
Bengal education minister, Partha Chaterjee, however, trashed the allegations and claimed that the BJP leader was misleading the people by showing a doctored map.
“Just having the watermark does not mean that the map is of WBBSE. Each map of WBBSE has a code, which is known to WBBSE only,” Chatterjee said while flaunting a map of WBBSE that did not have geographical distortions.
Chatterjee said that he has already directed WBBSE to start an investigation in the matter and contact the school authorities where the erroneous maps were allegedly distributed.
“Even the person who is alleging such geographical distortions would also come under the ambit of investigation to know the source of the map he displayed,” said Chatterjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress secretary general.
The letter to Union HRD minister also alleged that during the last few years Bengal has become a hub of Islamic militancy and anti-national activities with tacit support of the ruling party. The BJP leader said that given this background, the map is not an isolated incident, or, just some clerical error.
“We feel this is a quite planned action to spread divisive idea against the integrity of the country. The young school students can be the best target to teach them wrongly about the map of the country. We therefore appeal to you to take up the issue with the Government of West Bengal,” his letter said.