In MP, Hindutva icons part of MBBS first-year course

Bhopal, September 5

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MBBS students in Madhya Pradesh will be lectured about RSS founder KB Hedgewar, Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya, Swami Vivekanand and BR Ambedkar as part of the first-year foundation course, state Education Minister Vishwas Sarang said on Sunday.

The move evoked a sharp reaction from the Opposition Congress which accused the BJP of trying to “thrust” its agenda on the people. The BJP, however, justified the move, saying all sections of society should know about “patriots who are nation’s ideals”.

The minister said the first-year MBBS students would also learn about Maharshi Charaka, one of the principal contributors to ayurveda, and sage Sushrut, known as the father of surgery in India.

The next academic session for MBBS students is likely to start by this year-end.

“The National Medical Council has said that ethical values should be the part of the foundation course in the first year. So we thought of incorporating these great personalities for students’ character-building,” Sarang said.

Congress state chief Kamal Nath slammed the BJP, saying: “It wants to thrust its ideology and agenda on the people, be it in the field of education or in other areas.”

According to sources, the NMC decides the syllabus of the MBBS course. It sets topics for each subject but the education department of every state is empowered to prepare the content of subjects for the foundation course. — PTI