Govt to enquire into NCERT text 'distortions'

Serampore (West Bengal), Aug 20: The Centre will conduct an inquiry into the 'distortions' and 'objectionable' language used in the description of freedom fighters in NCERT school textbooks, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here.

''There will be an inquiry into the indecent descriptions of some of our freedom fighters in the NCERT school textbooks, which is condemnable," Mr Mukherjee said on the sidelines of a function organised near Serampore yesterday.

Mr Mukherjee, however, said that he was of the view that the NCERT mistakes might have cropped up as the British used to label Indian revolutionaries as 'terrorists' in their official records.

Earlier, the state Congress demanded that NCERT school textbooks should be banned immediately because of distortions.

"You should cancel the NCERT textbooks and take action against the writers, who have defamed national heroes," Congress Legislature party leader in the state assembly Manas Bhuniya said in a letter to the HRD Minister.

He said it was matter of regret that freedom fighters like Khudiram Bose, Arabinda Ghose, Bipin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were dubbed 'terrorists' in the books.

UNI