The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sunday, November 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India

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PM: biases in history books must go
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today minced no words in defending Government’s decision to “rectify” certain “factual errors and biases” in NCERT’s four history textbooks even as he preferred to remain silent on Opposition charges of “Talibanisation” of country’s education system.

Certain portions are “one-sided” and that is why we are trying to rectify it,” Mr Vajpayee told mediapersons in an informal chat during a lunch hosted by BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra at his residence here.

“We are ready for a debate in Parliament on this issue and if history is one-sided, it should be changed,” he added.

However, the Prime Minister preferred to remain silent and gave a blank look when a journalist sought his comment on the Opposition’s charges of “Talibanisation” of country’s education system.

The Rajya Sabha had yesterday witnessed uproarious scenes following a charge of “Talibanisation” of the country’s education system with opposition members alleging that certain portions of some history textbooks were “blatantly communal”.

Although a relaxed Prime Minister refused to answer many of the questions from journalists in the pretext of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, Mr Vajpayee spoke on India’s role in Afghanistan, attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the global fight against terrorism.

On the Afghan issue, the Prime Minister said it remained to be seen as to what impact the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan would have on terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have to see what impact that (fall of Taliban) will have on terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir”, he said.

Tarlochan thanks govt for deletions
S. Satyanarayanan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24
The Vajpayee government today got support from the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on its decision to delete a certain portion from NCERT textbooks with the commission thanking the NCERT for deleting certain portions pertaining to Sikh Gurus in some textbooks.

“I thank you and your organisation for deleting the derogatory remarks prescribed in some books against Sikh Gurus for which there was a vigorous demand for the past many years,” NCM Vice-Chairman Tarlochan Singh has said in a letter to NCERT Director J.S. Rajput, a copy of which is available with The Tribune.

“We know that some historians have a biased mind and they always quote some source to justify such remarks. The Sikh community has been feeling hurt and has held a lot of demonstrations against it. It is good that after a long time you have at least taken this action,” he said.

Appreciating the NCERT for removing certain “derogatory remarks” concerning the religion which were hurting the sentiments of the people who believe in that religion, Mr Tarlochan Singh said, “We believe that everyone should read history and know all facts, but we should not give any cause to the believers of the religion and hurt their feelings.”

Withdraw CBSE circular: CPM
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 24
The CPM has demanded withdrawal of the CBSE circular and the NCERT directive on deletion of some objectionable portions from history books of different classes.

In a statement issued here today, the CPM Politburo has said that the CBSE directive that certain portions of history textbooks should not be taught in schools is a “cause of serious concern.” The party Politburo has stated that the textbooks were prescribed by the NCERT which has now got the CBSE to issue the circular. It is of the view that the textbooks authored by prominent historians contain factual material.