NCERT Defends Textbook Changes Amid Saffronisation Allegations

NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani defends modifications in school textbooks, asserting they aim to create positive citizens. The revisions, removing references to events like the Gujarat riots and Babri Masjid demolition, are framed as part of an annual update to reduce potential instigation of violence or depression among students.

In a decisive move rejecting allegations of saffronisation, NCERT director Dinesh Prasad Saklani defended the alterations made to school textbooks, such as the removal of references to the Gujarat riots and the Babri Masjid demolition. Saklani emphasized these changes aim to foster positive citizenship, arguing that teaching about violent events can instill aggression and despair in young minds.

In an exclusive interaction with PTI editors on Saturday, Saklani maintained that these textbook revisions are part of routine annual updates and should not be misinterpreted as politically motivated. He pointed out that similar changes went largely unnoticed in the past, such as the absence of 1984 anti-Sikh riots in textbooks.

The director highlighted the Supreme Court's role in the revised content, noting the focus on the court's verdict paving the way for the Ram temple's construction over the contentious site in Ayodhya. With the backdrop of new textbooks hitting the market, Saklani insisted that the primary goal of education is to cultivate a peaceful and informed society, rather than one marred by hatred and violence.

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