'Poison': Rajasthan govt pulls class 11–12 textbooks over 'Gandhi family overdose', says icons like Shastri, Patel, Ambedkar missing

Rajasthan's Education Minister Madan Dilawar has announced the withdrawal of the supplementary textbook Azadi Ke Baad Ka Swarnim Bharat for Classes 11 and 12, alleging that it gives undue emphasis to the Gandhi family while ignoring other national leaders. The two-part book, which has been used in schools for over 20 years, was revised in 2015 and 2019, and serves as non-evaluative reading material for students.

According to Dilawar, the book highlights the contributions of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but neglects other prominent figures such as Lal Bahadur Shastri, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, BR Ambedkar, and BJP leaders like Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Vasundhara Raje. The minister claimed that the book gives the impression that only the Gandhi family played a role in India's progress, which he called “misleading and disrespectful.”

He also pointed out that the book fails to include recent national developments like the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, an event he considers crucial for India's unity and security. Although the textbook was updated in 2019, it only mentions Prime Minister Narendra Modi in five paragraphs and does not include any of his photographs. The text highlights major policy changes like the Swachh Bharat Mission, GST, demonetisation, and the formation of NITI Aayog.

Committee formed, but little progress

After the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma came to power in 2023, a syllabus review was initiated in November 2024. A nine-member panel headed by Prof Kailash Sodani of Vardhman Mahaveer Open University was formed for textbook revision. However, the committee has met only once so far.

Despite the book being distributed to 80% of government schools for the current academic year, Dilawar stood by the decision to withdraw it. “Just because poison is bought doesn't mean it must be consumed,” he said, adding that incomplete or biased content should not be taught in schools.

Political backlash over textbook row

The move has triggered political criticism. Chief of the Pradesh Congress Committee Govind Singh Dotasra accused the state government of trying to impose an RSS-backed ideology through education. He argued that the curriculum, revised in 2020, was inclusive and mentioned contributions from various political leaders including Morarji Desai, Manmohan Singh, Indira Gandhi, and Modi.

He also slammed the minister for focusing on Modi-centric content, calling it “dictatorial,” and promised to raise the matter with the Chief Minister’s Office. According to Dotasra, the government should focus on education, not politics.

Authors defend the textbook

Prof Om Prakash Mahla, one of the authors of the book, defended its content. Speaking to TOI, he said the book was prepared without political bias and covered national achievements under various governments, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Pokhran nuclear tests. He maintained that the goal was to provide a balanced overview of India’s post-independence journey to young learners.

Syllabus revision

The syllabus revision process is expected to continue, and a new version of the textbook may be issued next academic year. The controversy has reignited the debate over political influence in school education, with stakeholders demanding transparency and inclusivity in curriculum development.

Inputs from TOI