Nehru textbook row: Students need to learn about non-Congress leaders too, says BJP

With Congress expressing its outrage over the removal of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru from the class VIII text books in Rajasthan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday welcomed the move saying it is time for students to know about leaders, other than that of the grand old party, who have made a significant contribution towards the building of the nation.

"We have been listening only about the Congress leaders since last 68 years. But there are many other leaders who have made a significant contribution in taking this nation forward. So, there must be a change," BJP leader Shrikant Sharma told ANI.

"It is not only the responsibility of one family (Congress and Gandhi family). Students should be taught about other leaders as well. Therefore, I think this step should be welcomed," he added.

As per reports, the new Social Science textbook for Class VIII in schools of Rajasthan has erased Nehru from the pages of history.

The textbook, which is still not available in the market but has been uploaded on the website of publisher Rajasthan Rajya Pathyapustak Mandal, features Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and revolutionary Hemu Kalani.

But other Indian National Congress leaders, including Sarojini Naidu and Madan Mohan Malaviya, are not mentioned in the history section of the textbook, written by senior teachers and principals from government schools.

There is also no mention of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination by Nathuram Godse.