Controversy brews over Hedgewar's speech in Karnataka board textbook

Bengaluru: The decision of the State Education Department to include Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar's speech as a lesson for the Class 10 students is likely to create a controversy in the State.

The lesson has been included in the syllabus as the first language Kannada textbook prescribed for the SSLC (Class 10) students for the academic year 2022-23.

The decision has been taken following the recommendation by the Textbook Revision Committee headed by writer Rohit Chakratheertha. He is regarded as a right winger by the progressive thinkers and opposition parties in the State.

The revision committee was earlier in the eye of a storm after the statement by Rohit Chakratheertha that "glorification of Muslim king of Mysuru Tipu Sultan will be taken off from the syllabus".

Sources confirmed that the lesson is titled: "Who should be your real role model?" and it is kept as the 5th chapter in the prose section. However, the lessons from the authors, who are staunch critics of the BJP and RSS have been dropped, they say.

The lessons written by well-known journalist, sworn critic of BJP late P. Lankesh and leftist thinker G. Ramakrishna have been dropped. Vedic scholar, late Bannanje Govindacharya 'Sukanashana Upasana' and author, noted critic Shatavadhani R. Ganesh's 'Shrestha Bharateeya Chintanegalu' have been included, according to sources.

The Textbook Revision Committee has maintained that it had selected the lesson on Hedgewar not on the basis of ideology. Education Minister B.C. Nagesh defended the recommendations of the committee.