BENGALURU: Controversy continues to dog the textbook revision exercise undertaken by the Karnataka government, with certain sections in a lesson on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the Class 8 Kannada textbook drawing criticism as an attempt to “glorify the freedom fighter”.
The textbook in question is a second-language book and is not yet available for public view on the Karnataka Text Book Society website. The controversial passage reads: “There was not even a keyhole in the cell where Savarkar was incarcerated. But, bulbul birds used to visit the room. Savarkar used to sit on their wings and fly out, and visit the motherland every day.” This chapter on Savarkar introduces him to students and is followed by an extract from a travelogue on the Andamans, written by Kannada writer KT Gatti.
“As per the Karnataka government’s Kannada school textbook, this was a daily routine of VD Savarkar from 1911 to 1921,” posted a Twitter user.
When asked about the matter, Made Gowda, managing director, KTBS, said he is unaware of the content and would need to consult the team responsible before commenting on it.
The textbook in question is a second-language book and is not yet available for public view on the Karnataka Text Book Society website. The controversial passage reads: “There was not even a keyhole in the cell where Savarkar was incarcerated. But, bulbul birds used to visit the room. Savarkar used to sit on their wings and fly out, and visit the motherland every day.” This chapter on Savarkar introduces him to students and is followed by an extract from a travelogue on the Andamans, written by Kannada writer KT Gatti.
“As per the Karnataka government’s Kannada school textbook, this was a daily routine of VD Savarkar from 1911 to 1921,” posted a Twitter user.
When asked about the matter, Made Gowda, managing director, KTBS, said he is unaware of the content and would need to consult the team responsible before commenting on it.