Controversial portions in textbooks removed in Rajasthan

Parts of text books in classes IX and XI of Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) were removed with immediate effect as a committee constituted to look into controversies in content recommended the same.

The expunged parts are from Sanskrit, Social Science I and II (both subjects of class IX), Political Science-II, Social Science-II, Sanskrit-I and II (class XI), a release issued by the government said today.

The text books were prepared during the previous BJP rule and the Congress, which came to power early this year, had appointed a committee to decide on the controversial parts of the syllabus.

There were objections to language and content in the books, which were prepared by a board headed by an RSS ideologue. Some references were anti-Muslim, it was alleged. The Board also directed school authorities to take the expunged portions out of teaching, the release said.