Move to review textbooks by 'communist' historians

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 16. The Bharatiya Janata Party today virtually justified distortion of history. ``If the communists do not want children to read about the destruction of temples by Mughal kings, why do they insist on textbooks that talk about beef- eating in the Vedic period?''

While not denying references to beef-eating in the Vedas, Mr. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, party spokesperson, pointed out that cows were sacred to Hindus and such references in textbooks hurt their sentiments. He defended his view by quoting Mahatma Gandhi who had spoken about the sacredness of the cow.

Mr. Malhotra insisted that Aryans did not come from anywhere, but were the original settlers of the Gangetic plains.

He was angry that ``some communist historians'' made out as if Aryans were nomads and shepherds who had come to India and settled here.

He said the recommendation in favour of introducing value-based education was made unanimously by the standing committee attached to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and its report was placed in Parliament.

All that the Ministry was doing now was implementing those recommendations. Besides, the States were free to accept the new textbooks or reject them.

So far, not a single new textbook had been introduced. But there was a move to review the old textbooks written by ``communist'' historians like Dr. Romila Thapar, who wanted to inflict their view of history on children.

``When we say no new textbook has been introduced, they (the critics in the Opposition) allege that our `intentions' (neeyat) are bad,'' Mr. Malhotra said.

He was also critical of the phrase ``saffronisation of education'' saying it used the word ``saffronisation'' derogatively. Saffron was one of the colours of our national flag, it represents bravery and sacrifice.

``If they want to describe what we are trying to do with education they could call it ``Sanghisation'' (referring to the Sangh Parivar or the RSS) or they could call it `Bhajpisation' (referring to BJP)'' he said, amid laughter, but why call it ``saffronisation?''

Mr. Malhotra strongly criticised the CPI(M) for interfering with the education system in West Bengal, and he wondered why the CPI(M) was now crying foul.

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