Minister defends changes in MP syllabi

Bhopal, June 22 (UNI) Justifying modifications in syllabi, Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Narottam Mishra today trashed an opposition allegation that textbooks were being saffronised.

''There is no lesson that goes against democratic values, secularism and national unity. Every change was effected keeping the Supreme Court's sentiments in mind,'' he claimed.

'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' was deleted from the first-standard syllabus and a few other poems substituted. In the same class' Hindi textbook a poem relating to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was removed as an academicians' group felt that children of that age were more curious about their surroundings and such poems were chosen.

''The apex court stressed on environment-related issues and therefore poems relating to flowers, birds and villages were incorporated,'' Mr Mishra explained.

A fourth-standard textbook contains a Pt Nehru's lesson 'Pita ka Patra Putri ke Naam' while in a class seven textbook his memoir 'Kamla' was substituted by his 'Aakhri Wasiyat', which reflects the philosophy of the country's first prime minister.

''Material linked to Pt Nehru has been given place in some form or the other from second to eighth standard textbooks,'' Mr Mishra claimed.

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