Bal Gangadhar Tilak called ‘father of terrorism’ in Rajasthan textbook, Congress cries foul
Sachin Pilot demanded the chapter that appears in the textbook meant for class 8 students be immediately removed. He also called for a ban on the book.
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former Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot.
Jaipur: Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot lashed out at the BJP-led state government after it was revealed in media reports that a school textbook calls freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak the “father of terrorism”. Pilot said that associating a great freedom fighter with terrorism was derogatory and “an insult to the nation”. He demanded that the chapter that appears in the textbook meant for class 8 students should be immediately removed. He also called for a ban on the book.
“It is very unfortunate that syllabus in school books is being misrepresented damaging the image of freedom fighters,” Pilot was quoted as saying.
So much for a self proclaiming “nationalist” BJP government. pic.twitter.com/gpYHTmiSb5
— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) May 11, 2018
“The same BJP government earlier tried to delete chapter on first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru from school books and then retracted when Congress opposed it aggressively,” he added.
Published by a Mathura-based publishing house, the book on its page 267 says, “Tilak demonstrated a path towards national movement, therefore, he is called as the father of terrorism.”
Historians also called it a big blunder and said that the remark was derogatory. The book is part of the social studies curriculum and is used by English medium private schools affiliated to the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE). The reference to Tilak is in chapter 22 called “Incidents of National Movement During Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century”. The book was published by the Student Advisor Publication Private Limited.
