Mangalore: Speakers Decry 'Saffronization' of Textbooks at Seminar

Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Sep 16: The state Patyapusthakagala Kesarikarana Virodhi Horata Samiti organized a state-level seminar at Loyola Hall here on Sunday September 16 to discuss saffronization in textbooks.
 
Inaugurating the programme Indudhar Honnapura, editor of Samvada newspaper said that infusing Manu script in academic textbooks is a conspiracy to spoil the harmonious relation among the people in the society.

He alleged that the story of ‘Punya Koti’ was altered in the 8th standard textbook in a bid to portray beef consumption as a bad practice. "This way, the original folk story was altered," he rued.
 
Asserting that Dalits have been sidelined by the upper class in Hindu religion, he said even Dr B R Ambedkar after failing to eradicate a caste-based society to reform Hinduism, joined Buddhism. "In contemporary times one needs education on the basis of secular ideology," he said, questioning the move of the government in saffronizing textbooks only in government schools where majority of the children come from backward classes, Dalits and poor families.
 
K L Ashok, state chief secretary of Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike in his keynote address said that overstressing vedic scripts in textbooks is nothing but 'cold communalism' which would not be realized by many through naked eyes. "Saffronization is just like infusing poison into the minds of children and thereby to upholding a fascist ideology," he said.
 
Elyas Mohammed Thumbe, state president of PFI said that saffronization in education will depict Christians and Muslims as traitors which should be opposed by all.
 
Fr J B Crasta, bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios of Syro-Malankara Catholic diocese, Puttur, Sr Wiberta B S, Mohammed Kunhi, Nyzil Pereira, Walter Maben among others were present.
 
Suresh Bhat Bakrebailu, Komu Sauharda Vedike district president presided over the programme.