08-26-2006, 01:18 PM
Obscenity in texts: UPA in line of fire
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->NEW DELHI: The UPA government came under fire from the opposition BJP that
criticised the <b>Congress and HRD minister Arjun Singh for accepting IGNOU
textbooks, which contain "obscene and derogatory" references to Hindu deities </b> even as the minister sought to clarify that the texts had been withdrawn.
The BJP also targeted government for NCERT books, which defame celebrated
freedom fighters as terrorists and malign the Jat community as plunderers.
Matters degenerated i nto chaos when BJP MP Neeta Pateriya made remarks
about Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, which set off an uproar from treasury
benches and resulted in an adjournment besides expunction of what the MP had
said.
This brought the calling attention motion to an abrupt end.
Referring to textbooks of MAÂ courses in IGNOU, BJP's V K Malhotra alleged
they contained <b>obscene references about Lord Shiva, referred to Goddess Durga getting intoxicated and described Lord Krishna as "cunning". </b>
Malhotra charged HRD minister of promoting the writer instead of punishing
him. Arjun Singh clarified that the references had been edited from the books
circulated in 2005.
He said an expert committee had been appointed to review the entire MA
course 'Religious thoughts and beliefs in India' of IGNOU, pending which a
decision has been taken to discontinue the course.
Quickly, Malhotra shifted to NCERT books for Class 12, which he alleged,
referred to Khudiram Bose and other freedom fighters as "terrorists". He said
these books had not been withdrawn while referring to derogatory references to
the Jat community.
As he returned to the theme of gods and goddesses, leader of House Pranab
Mukherjee took everyone by surprise when he stood up to quote from Sapt Sati,
third chapter, to show Goddess Durga had been linked to intoxication even in
the invocations. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->NEW DELHI: The UPA government came under fire from the opposition BJP that
criticised the <b>Congress and HRD minister Arjun Singh for accepting IGNOU
textbooks, which contain "obscene and derogatory" references to Hindu deities </b> even as the minister sought to clarify that the texts had been withdrawn.
The BJP also targeted government for NCERT books, which defame celebrated
freedom fighters as terrorists and malign the Jat community as plunderers.
Matters degenerated i nto chaos when BJP MP Neeta Pateriya made remarks
about Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, which set off an uproar from treasury
benches and resulted in an adjournment besides expunction of what the MP had
said.
This brought the calling attention motion to an abrupt end.
Referring to textbooks of MAÂ courses in IGNOU, BJP's V K Malhotra alleged
they contained <b>obscene references about Lord Shiva, referred to Goddess Durga getting intoxicated and described Lord Krishna as "cunning". </b>
Malhotra charged HRD minister of promoting the writer instead of punishing
him. Arjun Singh clarified that the references had been edited from the books
circulated in 2005.
He said an expert committee had been appointed to review the entire MA
course 'Religious thoughts and beliefs in India' of IGNOU, pending which a
decision has been taken to discontinue the course.
Quickly, Malhotra shifted to NCERT books for Class 12, which he alleged,
referred to Khudiram Bose and other freedom fighters as "terrorists". He said
these books had not been withdrawn while referring to derogatory references to
the Jat community.
As he returned to the theme of gods and goddesses, leader of House Pranab
Mukherjee took everyone by surprise when he stood up to quote from Sapt Sati,
third chapter, to show Goddess Durga had been linked to intoxication even in
the invocations. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->