References to Mysore ruler “based on imagination” to be removed from textbooks, says BC Nagesh

|HT|

Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh on Wednesday said there were no plans of removing Tipu Sultan from textbooks but references to the 18th century Mysore ruler “based on imagination” will be removed. “We intend to educate children on real history. If any proof is available for the title of Lion of Mysore given to Tipu Sultan, it will be retained. The glorification part will be removed.” The statement came days after a writer Rohith Chakrathirtha-led review committee recommended alterations to textbooks especially related to Tipu Sultan.

In response to a question, Nagesh said the chapters on Tipu Sultan will not be dropped. He added only the content with documentary and historical proof will be prescribed. “The discussion on this matter is a figment of somebody’s imagination. The lessons on Tipu Sultan will not be dropped.”

The Hindu right-wing accuses Tipu Sultan (1750-1799), who fought against the British, of proselytization and killing Hindus.

Officials said the review committee suggested the chapters on Tipu Sultan be retained, but parts that glorify him be removed. The committee was tasked with revising the Class 6 to 10 social science textbooks. Chakrathirtha is regarded as a right-wing thinker and the Opposition Congress called his appointment an attempt to “saffronize” education. The Bharatiya Janata Party ended the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan when it came to power in 2019. The previous Congress government introduced the celebrations in 2015.

In July 2020, the government dropped a chapter on Tipu Sultan as a part of its exercise to cut around 30% of the syllabus of Class 7 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The chapters on him were retained in Class 6 and Class 10 syllabi.

Nagesh said there is no proposal for the government to take over the Islamic seminaries days after he said the students of madrassas were not getting contemporary education. “...minority students should also get contemporary education... The number of parents getting their children admitted to madrassas is decreasing.”

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