Textbook row: 15 arrested for protesting outside Karnataka minister’s home

The activists said that they were staging protests against the textbook review committee headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha for its alleged inclusion of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology in school textbooks.

Earlier the Education Minister B C Nagesh had announced that he would file a defamation case against Talikatte for "baseless" allegations against him and the education department without proper documentary evidence. (Twitter/BC Nagesh)

A day after National Students Union of India (NSUI) workers staged a protest outside the residence of Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh at Tiptur in Tumakuru district, the police arrested 15 perpetrators and said further action is underway. The NSUI members were protesting against the alleged inclusion of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology in school textbooks.

The police said the minister was not at home when the incident took place. The activists said that they were staging protests against the textbook review committee headed by Rohith Chakrathirtha. The NSUI members reportedly burnt a khaki half pant, the ones that are worn by members of RSS.

Also Read | Karnataka textbook row: Review committee head terms controversy ‘political witch-hunt’

While there has been an intense demand from the opposition to stop the saffronisation of school textbooks, some of the mutt seers have also demanded to rectify information being printed in the books. Many of them said the facts are distorted.

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Soon after the incident, heavy deployment of police was done in front of Nagesh’s residence and many were taken into custody. Home Minister and Tumakuru district in-charge minister Araga Jnanendra, who visited Nagesh’s residence, alleged that NSUI members tried to set it on fire but the tension was defused. “A police officer was also injured in the incident. Congress, which has lost its ground in Karnataka, is trying to use rowdy elements and encourage goondaism but people will reject it,” he added.

State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, State Health Minister K Sudhakar, PWD Minister C C Patil and Power Minister Sunil Kumar too condemned the NSUI action.

Also Read | Karnataka textbook row: Ready to address differences regarding revised content, says minister

Some Kannada writers, including professor S G Siddaramaiah and Devnoor Mahadev, sought withdrawal of their works from school textbooks reportedly in protest against the inclusion of a speech by RSS founder K B Hedgewar and exclusion of works referring to social reformers like Narayan Guru, among others, in the revised textbooks. Several academicians and writers have also called on the state BJP government to dismiss the textbook committee headed by Chakrathirtha.

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