Karnataka minister justifies inclusion of speech by RSS founder Hedgewar in school textbook

"Some people want to object to everything and they feel what they have said is only the truth and only their thinking has to be told to society. In that speech, Hedgewar had said that one has to take ideology, values, and principles as his or her inspiration. He has spoken about the importance of society and the nation. What's wrong with that?" the Minister said.

Tumakuru(Karnataka): Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh have defended the inclusion of a speech by the founder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in a revised Kannada textbook for students of Class X. Some organisations, including the Student Federation of India(SFI), All-India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), and All-India Save Education Committee (AISEC) opposed the decision.

"I do not know the full details about the inclusion of the statement of RSS chief Hegdevar in the textbook," Nagesh said. Speaking to media persons at Tumakuru, the Minister said the textbook does not contain anything about Hedgewar or RSS, but only his speech on what should be an inspiration to people, especially the youth, and that those who have raised objections have not gone through the textbook.

"Some people want to object to everything and they feel what they have said is the only truth and only their thinking has to be told to society. In that speech, Hedgewar had said that one has to take ideology, values, and principles as his or her inspiration. He has spoken about the importance of society and the nation. What's wrong with that?" the Minister said.

"Our education department considers what experts have done. We will look into what should be and what is not. I will not try to answer all the speculations. We have seen similar speculations in the past. There was some talk that lessons on Tipu Sultan had been removed from the textbook. The same people today are talking about Hegdevar," he added.

The organisations alleged the omission of a lesson on freedom fighter Bhagat Singh from textbooks adding works by renaissance literary figures like A N Murthi Rao's ‘Vyaghrageethe', P Lankesh's ‘Mruga Mattu Sundari,' and Sara Aboobacker's ‘Yuddha,' were also committed. They further alleged that the BJP government in the State is trying to force the ideology of RSS and the party into the textbooks.