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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar's speech, which will be included in Kannada textbooks from the academic year 2022-23, is about ideology, though it does not specifically refer to any one ideology. The Quint has accessed the chapter titled 'Nijavada Aadarsha Purusha Yaaragabeku?' (Who should be should a true role model?) and here is what it says.
According to KB Hedgewar, people shouldn't look up to humans as role models. Instead, they should find their role models in Tattva, meaning principles and ideology.
The Karnataka government has adopted the recommendations of the state textbook revision committee and has included Hedgewar's speech as one of the chapters in class X Kannada (first language) textbooks.
The text "Who should be an ideal role model?" is taken from a Kannada book called RSS Sthapakara Chintanegalu–Prerana, meaning Founders' Thoughts for Inspiration, a compilation of KB Hedgewar's writing and speeches published by Ayodhya Publications.
Hedgewar, through this text asks his readers to find role models in ideology or principles, and not people. He says that if a person who is considered an ideal makes a mistake, then one must try and find another person who is likely to be perfect. However, he observes that in cases such as Krishna or even Rama, the person is often elevated to be god, further complicating people's perceptions towards being the "perfect being."
The speech will now be the fifth chapter of the first language Kannada prose textbook, which is in the process of printing.
Defending the move in an opinion piece published by Kannada local daily Hosa Diganata, Head of the Textbook Revision Committee Rohith Chakrathirtha writes, "There is a whole list of scholars like Ram Swarup, Sita Ram Goel, Dharmapal, KB Hedgewar, MS Gowalkar, Dattopant Thengadi and VS Wakankar, who were in exile, while what Irfhan Habib and Romila Thapar wrote was being accepted as history for over 75 years. This is changing now."
Scholars, however, think otherwise. Speaking to The Quint, Dr Janaki Nair, a former professor of history in Jawaharlal Nehru University said, "I believe all textbooks need periodic revision to reflect changes in the practice of history..."
On the contrary, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh has claimed that the text was to instill critical thinking in students to follow a particular ideology and not take any individual as a role model, as they are prone to make mistakes.
Organisations such as All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and All-India Save Education Committee (AISEC) have expressed concern over alleged saffronisation of textbooks in the state.
The organisations have also alleged that the ruling BJP and RSS have been ideologically penetrating the press, cinema, music and now textbooks to suit their versions of history.
However, observing that the writing of history has mainly been unidimensional over the years, professor of history in Christ University, Dr SP Vagishwari told The Quint, "Rather than looking at what they (right-wing ideologues) are saying, as an academic I am interested more in understanding why a certain section of readers are now asserting their own versions of history."
Meanwhile, the textbook revision committee did drop several writers for reasons which have not yet been made public.
Sources told The Quint that Mruga Mattu Sundari, a Kannada version of Beauty and the Beast, written by P Lankesh, a well-known writer and journalist who founded Lankesh Patrike has been dropped. His tabloid was one of the first media houses that gave space Dalit and women literature.
There were also widespread reports of the government deciding to drop a chapter on Bhagat Singh by Marxist thinker G Ramakrishna. However, it was later clarified through a circular that the Karnataka government was not dropping the chapter on the 23-year-old freedom fighter.
Speaking to The Quint, Rohith Chakrathirtha, head of the text revision committee said, "There is nothing political or ideological in (Hedgewar's) text we that have recommended. Hedgewar's speech is nothing but an advice that he is giving to the youngsters. We in the committee want to impart good education and instill critical thinking in students."
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