In a chapter on Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, students have to answer questions on casteism. But there is no mention of his authoring the Constitution.
When seven-year-old Rohini, dau-ghter of Shashikant Lokhande, a reader in Marathi at SNDT University, stood before him with her Class II textbook and asked, “Who are Bhangis, Chamars and Dalits?”, Lokhande did a double-take.
Had his daughter been traumatised by someone’s comments? On being asked where she had heard the words, Rohini showed him her textbook, Vikas Work Experience. In a chapter on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, students have to answer questions on casteism, and are introduced to words like Bhangis, Chamars and Mahars, apart from Dalits. But there is no mention of Dr Ambedkar’s role as the lead author of the Indian Constitution, or of his winning the Bharat Ratna.
Jeetubhai Gala, director of Navneet Publications, which publishes the guide book, says no changes have been made so far due to an “increased project load”. “References, words and meanings change according to context. Our aim is to bring Dr Ambedkar closer to students, and teach them to live in a society without caste division. The chapter is in keeping with the conditions that existed then. We accept our inability to effect changes in updated copies so far,” he says, “but the changes will be made in the next edition.”
Lokhande has written to Bhakti Vartak, principal of Utkarsh Vidyalay, Virar (where his daughter studies), bringing the issue to her notice: “The writer does not adhere to the Constitution or the Prevention of Atrocities Act which disallows classifying anyone according to caste.”
Lokhande is upset because the sentences are in the present tense. A sample: “Some people do not treat Dalits like human beings—they don’t touch them, give them low jobs and Dr Ambedkar would have been angry with this.” The last para talks of how people garland statues of Dr Ambedkar, and how on April 14, Dalits clean their localities and take oaths to eradicate the caste system.
The questions at the end of the chapter have little to do with the contents. One question goes: Mark true or false—”Atmaram Bhangi has a clean bath before he goes to the temple.” Another one asks whether Dr Ambedkar was a doctor who gave medicines to sick people. The last question asks students to briefly describe how Dalits were treated in earlier times.
“The Maharashtra government has withdrawn its approval of the guide book. It is illegal if the school is using it,” says Vasant Kalpande, director, State Textbook Bureau.
Education Secretary Sumit Malik has said he would look into the matter and take action.
The errant text
- “Some people do not treat Dalits like human beings. They don’t touch them, give them low jobs (in present tense!). Dr Ambedkar would have been angry.”
- Mark true or false: “Atmaram Bhangi has a clean bath before he goes to the temple.”
- Was Dr Ambedkar a doctor who gave medicines to sick people?
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