Rejects plea on Gurus’ preachings in syllabus

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking directions to the government to incorporate biographies of all the 10 Sikh Gurus in school syllabi, saying “public interest litigation has its own limitations”.

Petitioner Subhash Chander Katyal had sought “appropriate directions” to the Union of India, all states and Union Territories to incorporate detailed life history and teachings of all the 10 Sikh Gurus along with Guru Granth Saheb in syllabi of all the classes in history books for teaching.

He submitted that the life history of Sikh Gurus and history of Sikhs had not been given appropriate place in history books whereas there was mention of other historical personalities and different rulers.

“Without entering into the merits, suffice it to say that what shall be taught in the schools or what shall be included in the syllabus of all classes cannot be directed by this court in exercise of power of judicial review…,” a Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said while rejecting the petition.

“Be it noted, despite expanded horizon, public interest litigation has its own limitations. Any litigant should not feel, when he files a public interest litigation, that his hope and aspirations for anything and everything deserves to crystalise,” the Bench said in its order.

It said courts cannot enter into the domain of what is to be taught in schools and what should be included in the syllabus. Petitioner’s counsel contended that life history and teachings of the Sikh Gurus should be incorporated in the school syllabi as these facts had been omitted.