Rajasthan minister seeks removal of books that glorify Gandhis; Congress slams ‘ideological attack'
The books in question, Azadi Ke Baad Swarnim Bharat Parts 1 and 2, have been part of the curriculum since the tenure of the previous Congress government. According to Dilawar, they portray Congress leaders in a positive light despite their role in imposing the Emergency, suspending the Constitution, and undermining democracy.
'These books glorify those responsible for the Emergency. They ignore the contributions of great leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Dr BR Ambedkar, and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh,' Dilawar told reporters. 'Why are there no references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 11 years of leadership, or former chief ministers like Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Vasundhara Raje?'
Dilawar further stated that since these books do not carry examination weightage, retaining them in the syllabus only adds to the students' burden. He justified the late-stage withdrawal by saying, 'Just because money has been spent printing these books doesn't mean we should serve poison to our children. We are ready to bear the loss to protect students from misinformation.
'The Rajasthan State Textbook Board has already printed 4.90 lakh copies of the books for the 2025 academic session, with 80% reportedly distributed across 19,700 schools. This late removal has sparked criticism over financial wastage and curriculum instability.
Reacting sharply, Congress leader Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP government of pushing a divisive ideological agenda. 'This is an ideological attack and reflects the narrow-mindedness of the RSS,' he said. 'These books were approved by the previous BJP-led government, including the education department. What changed now?'
Dotasra questioned the rationale behind the removal, calling it an attempt to erase the legacy of former Congress prime ministers. 'Is the BJP trying to erase the contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru, who laid the foundation of modern institutions like IITs, IIMs, ISRO, and AIIMS? Are they ignoring Indira Gandhi's leadership during the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Pokhran nuclear test, and the nationalization of banks?'
He also defended the legacies of Rajiv Gandhi—who introduced computerisation and strengthened Panchayati Raj—and Manmohan Singh, credited with pioneering India's economic liberalisation.
'By removing these references, is the BJP trying to hide history from our students? This isn't just a change in curriculum—it's an attempt to control the direction of young minds,' Dotasra added.
As the debate intensifies, the controversy highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between educational content and political ideology in shaping India's historical narrative.
–With PTI Inputs
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