Punjab CM slams opposition over school history books row
He pointed out that it was during the Akali regime in 2014 that the decision to realign the courses with the NCERT syllabus was taken and the SGPC was party to all the discussions.
Slamming the opposition parties Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the issue of Sikh Gurus in school history books, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday rejected their allegations, warning them against harming the interests of the state by playing with religious sentiments.
The CM lambasted SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal for making “baseless statements” and condemned AAP for “joining the vilification campaign against the government without bothering to verify the facts of the matter”.
He pointed out that it was during the Akali regime in 2014 that the decision to realign the courses with the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus was taken and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) was party to all the discussions.
“It was on January 9, 2014, that an expert committee was proposed to be set up to discuss the issue of realignment and to finalise the history syllabus from Class 9 to 12,” Amarinder further said.
The CM said after assuming charge, his government had written to SGPC in March 2017 for discussion on the issue of the history course realignment and the body deputed Prof Paramveer Singh of Panjabi University, Patiala, for this. He flayed SGPC head Gobind Singh Longonwal for deliberately hiding the facts.
“The Class 11 history book they are talking about has not been printed yet. The history of the Sikh gurus has been retained in the realigned syllabus, with no cutting or pruning,” he said.
‘Sahibzadas’ Chapter my recommendation’
Following the “syllabus realignment”, the entire period from Guru Nanak Devi to Guru Gobind Singh and the martyrdom of the four Sahibzadas is now being taught in Class 11, the chief minister said, adding that the history of four Sahibzadas was incorporated on his recommendation.
Information on the Sargarhi battle and the Sikh general Sham Singh Attariwala was incorporated in the Class 10 history book on my suggestion,” he said.