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BJP clarifies on controversial questions

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL 23. The Bharatiya Janata Party today officially offered an explanation on the extraordinary questions on Hitler's "final solution" posed to class XII students in the examination paper on `Higher level English' in Gujarat.

"There are two solutions. One of them is the Nazi solution. If you don't like people, kill them, segregate them. Then strut up and down. Proclaim that you are the salt of the earth.'' The students were asked to join these sentences into one as part of a grammar exercise. Coming in the backdrop of the Gujarat incidents where over 800 men, women and children of the minority community have been killed, the questions have lead to controversy. The BJP spokesperson, V.K.Malhotra, today offered an explanation even as he confirmed that the questions were indeed part of the examination paper. One, he said, "the question papers were set about five to six months ago.'' Two, this particular question paper was set by a minority community teacher.'' And three, the sentence "if you don't like people, kill them'' was a quote from a text by E.M.Forster.

The issue was first brought to notice by a newspaper and it was also raised in the Lok Sabha today. Raising the issue during zero hour, the Deputy Leader of the Congress, Shivraj Patil, drew the Government's attention to the newspaper report regarding the controversial questions. Waving a copy of the newspaper and the facsimile of the question paper, Mr. Patil wondered what kind of lessons were being imparted to the school students.

Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M) also criticised the development. "There can be no two opinions about the seriousness of the situation''.

Later, at a press briefing, Mr. Malhotra circulated a note explaining why and how the questions were asked. The sum and substance of the explanation was that it was simply a coincidence that Hitler and his final solution figured in the question paper, and that "to associate the question with the present prevailing situation in Gujarat is highly malicious, mischievous and a provocative attempt''.

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