New Delhi: Congress party, on Monday, demanded a clarification from the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the recent controversial passage in Class 10 CBSE English question paper which allegedly promoted "gender stereotyping" and supported "regressive notions."
Earlier today, Congress President Sonia Gandhi raised this matter in the Parliament condemning it and called it "blatantly misogynist" passage and demanded an apology from the Narendra Modi government.
Speaking over the matter, Congress' Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "This issue will defame for our country. The entire nation must condemn this incident. Today, Sonia Gandhi madam raised this issue in the Parliament but none in this Government replied to her statement that is why we staged a walkout."
Reiterating the same, Congress MP Gourav Gogoi said to ETV Bharat, "It is very unfortunate that our Prime Minister on one hand speaks about 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' and on other hand his own government perpetuates this very retrograde, patriarchal thinking for women. I want, in future, the Education Minister to be present in the House and clarify how this question entered in the paper and what steps would the Ministry take that such mistakes do not reappear."
However, soon after Sonia Gandhi's address in Parliament, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) dropped the passage saying that it is "not in accordance with the guidelines" and students will be given full marks for the question.
The passage had gone viral on social media, erupting a controversy as it had sentences like the "emancipation of the wife destroyed the parent's authority over the children" and that "it was only by accepting her husband's way that a mother could gain obedience over the younger ones".
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