Archbishop slams saffronization of texts
At a seminar on 'Combating Saffronization of Education and Suppression of the Subaltern Voice' , organized here on Saturday by the Committee For Resisting Saffronization of Textbooks, he said: "There is tension on the border now. But, saffronization is worse than an attack on the country or explosions in a city or planting a bomb. It ruins the future of the country. This negativism is more dangerous than anything else.''
Expressing his displeasure at lack of inaction to curb saffronization, he said: "We only speak but don't act. If you're interested in the future of your children, city and the country, you should act. The time has come to act.''
The Archbishop asked people to initiate legal and political action and align with like-minded secular people to fight this problem. "There are ample opportunities in the next four months as elections are due. Are we really concerned about that? Is your name on the voters' list? If not, what's the use of speaking here? Enroll your name on the voters' list and vote for the right candidate."
'Don't keep text preparation a secret'
Archbishop Bernard Moras called upon people from the minority communities to encourage their children to join the civil service and influential jobs for longterm benefits.
Participants at the seminar — Combating Saffronization of Education and Suppression of the Subaltern Voice — felt that education provided for Class V to Class VIII students, aged between 11 years and 14 years, is crucial as it influences their long-term perspective on life. Stressing on the importance of textbook production, they expressed their concern that it's being used as a powerful tool in Karnataka by right-wing thinkers to influence young impressionable minds.
A book 'A Right Wing Ideology in the Textbooks of Karnataka - A critical Appraisal' by the committee and released on the occasion, cites several instances which it perceives as evidence of the saffron agenda.
The National Commission of Minority Education Institutions has received complaints from several schools from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka about textbooks being used to propagate the ideology of the ruling party in their states. Revealing this, commission member Cyriac Thomas said it was evaluating the complaints.
Place draft in public domain
Prof Rajendra Chenni, head of the English department, Kuvempu University , wondered why the governments keep textbook preparation a secret . "What's so secret about it? Why can't the draft be placed in the public domain? The views can be scrutinized and considered. Why can't such simple reforms be put in place?" he said. He asked teachers not to think textbook as sacrosanct. "They must be critical while teaching. A good teacher will always try to find out what isn't included in the text,'' he said.
Komu Sauharda Vedike secretary K L Ashok said it was all political parties , not just the BJP, which had contributed to the problem. "Even the Congress and JD(S) have contributed to saffronization of textbooks. The socalled secular parties play the soft Hindutva card and implement it without harming their secular image,'' he said The participants felt that to achieve ideological neutrality, the state government should think about systematizing the unsystematized knowledge like new historicism, subaltern studies , folk literature, arts, writings of women, dalit and non-Vedic knowledge.
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