'Detox' drive hits pre-Joshi book

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'Detox' drive hits pre-Joshi book

SHIVANI SINGH

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2004 03:07:17 AM ]

NEW DELHI: On a heavy duty "de-tox" drive, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh is sparing no one.

If the existing NCERT history textbooks have been dropped for being "communal", Medieval India, a pre-saffron era book, that is being brought back into circulation, will also be altered to make it legally and politically correct.

The HRD ministry has asked Satish Chandra, author of Class XI Medieval India, to modify passages on Sikh history, especially the reference to Guru Teg Bahadur's execution.

Raising objections to these passages, a Sikh group had moved Punjab High Court in 1997, seeking their withdrawal. When the court did not hear the petition, the group went in for an appeal in 1998. The case is pending.

To bring the book back in circulation, the NCERT has to tackle the legal hurdle. "Also, we don't want to hurt sentiments of any community. We are therefore asking the author to make some changes," said a HRD ministry official.

Chandra has agreed to rework his book. "As my book was withdrawn in 2002, I did not know there was still a court case. Although there is nothing objectionable, I have decided to modify certain passages."

"Those who raised objections probably did not understand these passages. I have merely cited views on Guru Teg Bahadur's execution from different sources. But nowhere I have put them as my own views," he added.

Chandra said he is going back to original Persian sources. "I am trying to figure out how to use different words to translate these sources.

Also, as the NCERT has not communicated to me what is objectionable, I am using my own discretion," he said.