T a l k i e s

167 responses so far ↓

• 1 scorpiogenius // Jun 23, 2008 at 8:16 am

  BVN, thanks a lot for uploading the eye of the storm:)

  All these days, I didn’t know what was the actual problem with the subject. I guessed the trouble may have been with the apparent attempt to instill communist thoughts into juvenile minds, which would obviously trigger such violent responses from Congress, the Church and Muslim League.. And how wrong I was!

  How can this lesson be ’spreading communism’ or ’spreading aethism’? Perhaps it is because of the belief that you need a religion to believe in God. And does the moral values go down if you dont exhibit ‘religion’ against your name and sex? Strange…

  Many of the European States provide a ‘no religion’ choice in every records. Look at Australia, >20% of population comes under “NO RELIGION”, and it is one of the most secular and democratic nations of the world. (Check Australia under Wikipedia if you distrust me). India’s caste based system is one of the notorious discrimination systems of the world, and we boast that we are ’secular’! Yeah, anything but secular..

  In our country where caste and creed come above humans I’m not surprised by the furore this created. And especially in Kerala where we need no spark to create fire. I’m even more disappointed by your tone in this subject Brahma, this is not a chapter which is going to decay young brains.

  Am I the only one who isn’t a Communist, or an Atheist, but feels that this lesson must stand?

• 2 BVN // Jun 23, 2008 at 9:00 am

  Scorpio, hehe! “I’m even more disappointed by your tone in this subject ” - tell me more, i’m in fun mood

• 3 clash // Jun 23, 2008 at 9:13 am

  Hey, thats a kick ass post. It is even worse than Markaz arguing about the seating arrangement in schools for boys and girls.

  http://tushizap.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/markaz-or-marx-which-way-will-the-kerala-govt-go/

• 4 Legionary // Jun 23, 2008 at 11:40 am

  Hi why all these protest. We are in a independant nation. Let kids choose what they like. Belive or not belive in god.Opposition is making a hill out of a mole. Cheers for the teachers behind this lesson.

• 5 MUHAMMED ABOOBACKER SA-ADI // Jun 23, 2008 at 12:38 pm

  it very cheept and un cultural

• 6 MUHAMMED ABOOBACKER SA-ADI // Jun 23, 2008 at 12:38 pm

  it very cheept and culturalless

• 7 abdul jabbar ak // Jun 23, 2008 at 12:41 pm

  it is very bad

• 8 KPK // Jun 23, 2008 at 3:24 pm

  I am not a communist or athiest. I believe The thought behind this converstion seems to be approriate . All our school application forms has a Religion colum which needs to be filled. This particular information is kept to capture the religon , because many further legal issues may come up in future as our country has many laws based on caste, religon etc. For a school record this information has no other importance. If there needs to be a answer “no religion” or “Secular” is to be debated , and laws relating to such a answer also to be made. In that sense I could not see any problem with the text. The question by the headmaster is something to be seriously thought of in our society. I have seen in many mixed marriages , one of the parent changes religion. This happens to avoid all future legal/social issues . But what happens if father or mother of the child sticks to his religion? What is the religon of the child? It’s really an interesting question. From the legal point of view one answer has to be given based on the acceptance of the father and mother since we do not allow a “No religion” answer . A blank answer is also right , as the child can select either of the relgion, both or no relgion in future. This thinking is not against any religion or communist ideology. I do not know why so many students are wasting there energy and time for non creative thinking and fighting with police !! God save kerala !!

• 9 Vinod/Kakka // Jun 23, 2008 at 4:44 pm

  I guess Kerala is now utopia, and everybody knows it. Trying to change anything is bad. Nothing can be made better

  Ah, well, my curiosity is satiated. As a secularist and a person whose religiousness borders on atheism, I am disappointed that the attempt at teaching godlessness was this small. Really underwhelmed.

  If the Left really wants to reduce the influence of religion on education, it should stop aiding non-secular schools. It should invite corporates to run self financing colleges. That is within the political mandate that they have got from the people.

  And maybe stop running religious programming on TV channels run by sympathizers.

• 10 vgr // Jun 23, 2008 at 10:00 pm

  The reason for opposition is clear, if there is no religion, there won’t be any religious leaders and the religion based politics. If so what the present leaders will do…..jobless

• 11 Abdul Majeed Kizhakiniyakath // Jun 24, 2008 at 2:18 am

  ഇടതു സര്‍കാര്‍ നിരിശ്വര വാദം നടപ്പിലാകുവാന്‍
  പോകുന്നു എന്നാണ് ഇതിനെ പറ്റി ആദ്യം ചിന്തിച്ചത് പക്ഷെ ഇതു വായിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ മനസിലായി ഇവിടെ നടാക്കുന്ന സമരങ്ങള്‍ അച്ചമാരുടെ ഹിഡന്‍ അജണ്ട ആയ ഇടതു സര്‍കാരിനെ താഴെ ഇറക്കുക എന്നത് നടപ്പിലാക്കാന്‍ കിട്ടിയ ഒരു അവസരമായി ഉപയോഗ പെടുത്തുകയാണ് എന്ന് അത് മനസിലാകാത്ത മുസ്ലിം സങ്ങടനകളും അച്ചന്മാരുടെ വഴിയേ പോകുനത് കഷ്ടംമാണ്.

• 12 clash // Jun 24, 2008 at 3:19 am

  Left has not been able to do anything credible for the education sector as far as i know in this tenure of theirs. We have culture connoisseur minsiter in this portfolio, who would not mind humming some raga’s and explaining them, but unfortunatley he has gone a long way humming the tunes of the vile and vicious religious honchos.

  I would say Chennithala’s remark “mundu uduthal mundasseri aavilla” quite sums up a great deal about our farcical Education minister.

  Now, about inviting corporates in to education sector. I suppose the SCMS institution could very well be counted as a “corporate” in education sector, but they are equally vicious and vile.

• 13 BVN // Jun 24, 2008 at 3:40 am

  Clash, well i wouldn’t be so harsh on Baby, he tries to do 100 things at a time. But he’s done a lot many things for the sector , though not stopping paying the teachers who NSS, SNDP, Church and MES appoints.

• 14 scorpiogenius // Jun 24, 2008 at 3:45 am

  Petty politics and nexus with religion is the best and most explosive ammunition needed to shake the foundations of any Govt. That is what the Congress led opposition is doing now. Wait n watch how the lefty commies deal with this.

  I echo many of the thoughts in the above comments. While corporatizing the educational sector wont be a good idea at all, we must also remember that the strong foundations of Kerala educational system were actually laid by the so-called non-secular schools. But this isn’t a small issue r/t the secularism of schools; its something far more serious than that.

  Its a shame that we cant think about a system without religion linked to it. Is it only possible to live in India with labels like Thiyya, Brahmin, Islam or a Gujjar? It will be interesting to see what will happen if the choice for having a ‘no religion’ option is taken to the court.

  An innocuous lesson has been simply blown out of proportions by the fraudulent politicos and religious leaders..To hell with them, for God’s sake, and dont you dare throw that book away.

• 15 clash // Jun 24, 2008 at 4:09 am

  I would say this is one of the worst tenures left had in kerala and that inturn is a result of incompetent, farcical and corrupt leaders at the helm. Ofcourse Baby is one among them, he is quite good at posturing but has been hardly effective.

  I normally avoid any controversies that involves kerala left because some how i have feeling it will boomerang to me. But, this time around i will not mince any words in criticizing them. Such pathetic has been their show.

  Education sector in Kerala has been seeing quite a lot of stirs these days and i feel these are the last days of good old Govt Schools, Govt Colleges and other govt affiliated institutions. On one side there are relgious interests working but more than that the profit is what is luring all these lumpen elements in to the education sector. This is a concerted attempt by many - Religion, corporate interests and so on to dis credit a decently managed govt education sector in Kerala. When, we cry for corporates, i hope everyone keeps in mind, these goverment schools are the ones who educated our parents, grand parents , if not many of us. This system has been quite effective in its own way.
  After realising that an unprecedented profit is that you can earn from running these institutions, this created a serious itch among these so called private players and other religious institutions (most often the money is channeled to some nefarious activities!) to create this kind of stirr against our education system.

  We will sadly witness another of Kerala’s forte going to the dogs soon!

• 16 Sadik // Jun 24, 2008 at 4:32 am

  Damn the communists!

  Hail mukkries,
  Hail the Achayan Business
  Hail Medical and Engineering Business
  We will fight over the religion

  The ending of the Text Book should have been

  Mother: He should be a Hindu in a Hindu Rashtra!
  Father: No he cant be a kafir! he ought to be a Muslim
  Headmaster(We will call him John): Why are you fighting over it? Better make him a christian that is the best! We have lot of engineerig and medical colleges we will give you seat when u pay 1.5 lakhs!!

  Then there would have been no objection for congress

• 17 shenove // Jun 24, 2008 at 4:41 am

  in my opinion the oposition should read the ncert text .

• 18 L>J // Jun 24, 2008 at 7:07 am

  I really appreciate the left front for this lesson.It conveys an excellent message.If’ no religion ‘people are given some reservation those who are on the road now will also choose that option if they get a chance.The religious leaders are scared ,you know the reason.All the violence and unrest in this world are based on religious issues.In my opinion the concept of religion and caste system should be banned

• 19 L>J // Jun 24, 2008 at 7:09 am

  Very good idea .very good lesson.welldone

• 20 BVN // Jun 24, 2008 at 9:14 am

  @Clash,

  I hope you are not going by media reports alone. the media celebrated Golf Club issue for weeks - that is not part actual governance.

  Corruption - unless something comes up, cant make a call on that. but yeah, all is not fine, the other day someone was calling Kunhalikutty the Elamaram Karim of UDF administration [don’t miss the joke man]

  Cohesion - everyone wants to show off, all are stars with no administrative experience. there is no cohesion at all.

  But despite this, there are some real achievements, which one can list down and some really good ones at that. That initial aura is gone, but I’ll save my judgement today

• 21 Vinod/Kakka // Jun 24, 2008 at 9:30 am

  I am in no way against Govt education. What I am against is allowing private colleges and such only to religious and caste groups. Having our non-governmental education depend on religious and caste groups is going to be a road block in any social transformation.
  We could do with having a Amity university in Kerala. Or maybe campuses of good foreign universities.

• 22 clash // Jun 24, 2008 at 9:35 am

  But despite this, there are some real achievements!!
  Yes, i do agree but the barrage of controversies they are dragged in to have ultimately outshone the achievements.

• 23 clash // Jun 24, 2008 at 9:39 am

  By the way a Google search on santosh trophy led me to a post of yours about V.P Sathyan. Great post… Sathyan was an outstanding football player, another footballer who was mercilessly thrown in to the dustbin of Indian sports history

• 24 BVN // Jun 24, 2008 at 9:56 am

  and where are we now…not seeing semis after a decade huh!

• 25 Sadik // Jun 24, 2008 at 10:37 am

  There are few other news headlines that should be read along with the text books controversy.

  1. The Catholic Priests group has called for more childern amongst x’ians so that the X’ian minorities become stronger( xenophobia and more).

  2. In the strike call against the text books most of the Govt Schools were functioning but the most volatile opponents of Dharnas and Hartals, the Private schools voluntarily closed their schools. Interstingly most of them follow the CBSE scheme.(All businessmen go hand in hand - the church and the private schools)

  3. A single window entry for the plus two schools to aided and govt schools met with similar agitations from the church. They claim that this goes against minorities.(Every one knows that the actual reason is donations!)

  4. All the brothers have joined hands - Church, Private Management, KSU, NSS and the Muslim League. Unfortunately the SNDP stake is lesser.

  5.. I wouldnt claim this is a plot against the left, becuase they too have many stake holders in the business.

  6. Every one has forgot the outburst of Mr. A.K Antony the then chief minister on how the so called minorities are gaining undue benefits. Further it is difficult to believe that the congress was cheated by Private management promising 50-50. A written agreement then would have paved way for an educational revolution.

  The RSS had triggered a xenophobia in Gujarat freightening that the Muslims are going to be more in numbers than Hindus.

  All the devils are working together to make a Gujarat out of Kerala becuase it is easy get fish out of murky waters.

  The courts too are failing the ordinary public. Or was the trust totally misplaced.

  Thanks to all our short lived memory. Soon we will go searching the new Santhosh Madhavan live action.

• 26 BVN // Jun 25, 2008 at 1:39 am

  Sadik,

  Very valid points! you capture the efforts of NSS, the Church and the league time and again to subvert people’s mandate.

• 27 AKash // Jun 25, 2008 at 2:04 am

  What s the problem with this there is no probs
  becz its right of every person to choose cast and his living conditions.

  its only a political issue for there own interset

  but here so many other porblems to change
  example our road development and other things

  so fight for our living conditions

• 28 Ajay Prasad // Jun 25, 2008 at 2:43 am

  Well written, mon amie, as usual!

  To correct you pleasantly, what is happening around this is not even thinking with “the heart” but with “the sphincter”.

• 29 scorpiogenius // Jun 25, 2008 at 2:47 am

  Good to notice that many of the responses here support the chapter and not the unruly factions opposing it.:)

  Wonder why there is not much discussion going on about this topic in blogspace or in the social networking forums. Apart from BVN, not many have expressed their opinion in this matter…Anyway the tempo is up here, kudos 4 that..:)

• 30 BVN // Jun 25, 2008 at 3:42 am

  Ajay, hehe…thats a good one..one up their sphincter! (in slow, measured rhythmic tones)

  Scorpio, the issue is getting worse, MSF is burning the text books in Malapurram

  http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/25/stories/2008062555521000.htm

  Why can’t these idiots like the holy book says, in the name of the most merciful READ!!

• 31 scorpiogenius // Jun 25, 2008 at 5:03 am

  Ask them to read the dictionary too:

  Find out the meaning of ”Secularism”, not the Indian meaning, but the Oxford meaning..

• 32 Vinod/Kakka // Jun 25, 2008 at 5:43 am

  scorpio,

  Very few people blog about social issues because social change is not something that would benefit them. Also, most of the blogger would be loathe to support the left.
  The problem with the current administration seems to be biting a bit more than it can chew. And trying to appear holy.

• 33 mohammed nizar // Jun 25, 2008 at 5:51 am

  Very good idea .very good lesson and i support the goverment

• 34 safeer mysore // Jun 25, 2008 at 5:57 am

  keralathile janangal ippozhum kaliyugathilano jeevikkunnad?
  jai keralagoverment…

• 35 noorudheen // Jun 25, 2008 at 6:17 am

  m.a.baby zindabad
  karala guoverment zindabad

  dear people dont strike till knowing the matter.

• 36 Nani // Jun 25, 2008 at 9:17 am

  Now every where and in every aspects changes have been taking place. Some thing new should come to keep the society to meet the changed circumstases. So understanding as this as the time to feed the coming generation with the correct meaning of the seculerisem and socialisem the govt of kerala has rightly and courageouslydecided to intraduce the book like this.

• 37 Asokan // Jun 25, 2008 at 12:59 pm

  Very good lesson It should be start from First standard or from KGs.

  Never go back Kerala Government.

• 38 krishnan nileshwaram // Jun 25, 2008 at 2:35 pm

  I cant understand what is wrong in it. In lieu of Gujarath and Marad,teaching lessons may be planed in this manner.The agitations of communalist organisations we
  we can understand what happened for congress shame shame (nothing told our ADARSADEERAN yet)

• 39 Shibu Malankara Kaviyoor // Jun 25, 2008 at 11:42 pm

  ithu communissm kochu kuttikalilecku pracharippikkunnathinulla oru vazhiyayi L.D.F
  kanunnu. ithu apakadamanu. mathavum, Daivavum venda ennalla, Daivathe bhayamulla thalamuraye venam valarthan illayenkil Daivthinte swantham nadu sathante swantham
  nadakum nadayi marum. ellavarkkum sadbhudhi undakatte. M.A Babykkum.

• 40 BVN // Jun 26, 2008 at 1:39 am

  @Vinod,

  with 100 seats in the assembly, with resounding wins in the NSS\Xian and League heartlands - this government has a mandate which is deep and wide. Let them bite!

• 41 seven std social science text book // Jun 26, 2008 at 4:19 am

  Dear Reader,

  Please find Copy of Kerala’s Seven Std Social Science Text BOOK.PDF format documents available.

  http://www.4shared.com/dir/7762101/9733433f/sharing.html

  (Click on text icon -> “Download now” button -> Wait for 8 sec -> select “click here to download text” )

  Please add comments by scrolling down in the page.

  Please download and JUDGE your self why Bishops, Mullas & their blind followers are

  strikeing aganist this TEXT…???

  Please leave your comment at the site ..SCERT will look in to the comments.

  Regards,

  For

  State Council Educational Research and Training (SCERT),

  Trivandrum,

  Kerala

• 42 Page 24, 7th Standard Textbook at Blogbharti // Jun 26, 2008 at 4:51 am

  […] post writes about the latest clash between the titans - Religious heads and Communists - about the 7th standard text book in Kerala. The left front ought to be fought tooth and nail if religion is to survive in Gods Own Country. If […]

• 43 Pradeep // Jun 26, 2008 at 5:18 am

  Please read this book one time without prejudiece.
  This book tell that every religion for the sake of human.
  This book learn that Malabar riots is part of indipendent struggle.
  We can see more posetive things like this in this book.

• 44 Ani Kumar. K // Jun 26, 2008 at 6:12 am

  I read the controversial 7th standard book; I didn’t find any wrong thing in it. What’s going on kerala is only mentioned there. The “dirty politicians” don’t know for what they are being against the book.

  I request all the parents of Kerala to ignore all these controversies and To media, I request please keep your “eyes and ears” open even for this, ie.. to protect the “poor students” and hence the next “generation”.

• 45 Sanjukta // Jun 26, 2008 at 6:24 am

  Can’t say about the whole book, but I don’t see anything wrong with the chapter. It makes perfect sense to have an option “no religion” in official documents. Religion should be a matter of personal faith and lifestyle. We need not be public about it.

  I also don’t know how come it is ok for parents to force a religion on children but its not ok to give them another option.

  Religion is forced upon us from the time when we are just few months old, loads of customs like naam karans mundans etc. Bongs hav this thing called annaprashan..where a 6 month baby is all dressed up like a bride/groom and fed with a grand lunch.

  Kids hardly have learnt to walk and they are taken to places of worship and are taught by parents how to worship.

  So forcing a religion upon a child is ok? And giving them another outlook, a possibility of a life without religion is not ok? Let them learn about atheism too and then let them decide…coz hey atheism is a religion too you know. Like I am religiously non religious.

  To answer a few questions some one raised about he legal angle. Hardly any of you here would know about Indian personal laws which actually allows an individual to not have any religion at all.

  As per law, a child of inter religion marriages is said to have the religion according to which he have been brought up. If the parents get married under Special Marriage Act and if they are not religious people which means they never took their child to a place of worship never followed any religious customs at all the child would actually grow up to be someone not having any particular religion. And matters related to inheritance / property etc would be governed by Indian Succession Act and not by any personal law.

  As an adult he/she can then decided which religion to follow or may even continue to be a non religions person governed by the civil law of the land instead of any personal law whatsover.

  I have written about this in a post of mine here http://sanjukta.wordpress.com/2007/10/09/atheism-law-and-marriage/

• 46 N.Gopakumar. // Jun 26, 2008 at 7:41 am

  i dont think anything wrong in indian society which anybody can live with religion or without religion.thanks to Mr.MA baby to impliment the new text book.

• 47 BVN // Jun 26, 2008 at 10:30 am

  Sanjukta,

  Thanks for the comment. I read your post, its quite informative. On the legal angle, I didnt see anyone raise that here. But its always nice to know. Then legality doesnt matter here, the Left in Kerala has a strike force which will come to the streets once these bigots go home, they’ll make sure the book stays. IPC doesnt matter.

• 48 nishanth // Jun 26, 2008 at 1:20 pm

  Well written….
  What ever may be, our great public loving political parties and other much talked communal leaders got one more reason for harthals and dharnas..
  BTW happy harthal…
  This devil’s own country not gonna change soon…

• 49 Sanjukta // Jun 26, 2008 at 3:21 pm

  @BVN,

  Err you really don’t think I am so dumb to talk about an issue which is not raised do you…?

  Seems like I read the comments on your post more deeply than you yourself did but not ur fault, I got an eye for detail, part of my job…

  Something related to legal point, raised by KPK in comment no. 8 dated 23rd June

• 50 Joshy // Jun 26, 2008 at 9:52 pm

  I have read the “controversial page 24″ of the 7th standard text book. There is nothing mentioned about NOT believing in God or Religion. In fact the last sentence (“If he wants a religion when he grows up, he can choose the one he likes then”) implies that the parents want the child to believe in GOD.
  What is the problem? These idiot conservative thick heads need anger management.

• 51 bombaydosti // Jun 26, 2008 at 10:12 pm

  Thanks to the SCERT comment! Could see the entire text book. I think the thought behind the text book and the way its been designed is really good, enabling children to think about what is happening around them. But the biggest enablers, in this scenario will be the teachers, as you were telling me. All the lessons, in this text, are very idealistically put and the best in class if an objective discussion can be stimulated in the classroom. That would be wow! But thoughts can be directed to a particular direction, if a teacher wishes so. There is a thin line. I appreciate the text and the thought that has gone behind, but it cannot be an imposition of an idealogy on little minds. An objectively thinking teacher with this text book is one of the best things that young minds can hope for!
  The thing with idealogy is that, I will believe so much in it, that nothing will seem wrong about it.

  When we keep hearing about saffronisation of education, we are quick to react,as that ideology is very obvious. Is there an idealogy that the government is trying impose through this text book ? I am more worried about the interpretation.

  But about this lesson, a life without religion, looks like something to think about. And “No religion” could be a choice!

• 52 Sakthi // Jun 26, 2008 at 10:32 pm

  I have only one request to the opponents

  Before making any comment, read it

  Don’t behave as illiterate.

• 53 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 26, 2008 at 11:48 pm

  In my CBSE Hindi, dunno-which-class, I had a lesson on Kabir which said, after his death Muslims and Hindus fought for his body and his body turned into roses.
  And it was when PVN Rao was our PM and Congress was ruling.

  How did this chapter influence me I wonder. I am sure, it would have been class 7 or 8.

  This protest is all BULL jus’ to gain some mileage.

• 54 Maju Philip // Jun 27, 2008 at 12:30 am

  The intension of the text book seems to be very good. The Religious leaders are afraid of their future if a generation is bought up with such a liberal attitude.
  What the religious fanatics need is a religiously blind generation.

  In the story the child is given the choice when he grows up. Whats wrong in that?

  If he finds that religion and the so called religious Dons are needed for his survival, let him chose the religion later.

• 55 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 1:34 am

  @Sanjukta, my apologies. I did read the comment, but KPK’s take on “no religion” option didnt make sense as it is an option, and I discarded it. But yeah, it was wrong to say it wasnt raised, sorry abt that. Thanks for clarifying.

• 56 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 1:42 am

  @Nikhil,
  To add on to that, many lessons in this text are direct lift from NCERT std IX textbook. The part where Jawahar Lal talks about religion is there in the NCERT text book. if that be the case, then the KSU and Youth should widen the agitation to include Sonia Gandhi’s party also. Just my suggestion

• 57 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 1:45 am

  @BD,

  Very valid points and a balanced opinion. I’ll reply in detail later.

• 58 Alex // Jun 27, 2008 at 2:53 am

  BVN,

  Two other posts relating to the same.

  1) http://www.keralatips.org/2008/06/26/more-on-the-seventh-standard-textbook/

  2) http://www.keralatips.org/2008/06/25/seventh-standard-textbook-controversy-in-kerala/

• 59 Retheesh // Jun 27, 2008 at 3:02 am

  Gentlemen,

  After reading this chapter, I feel so pity for “Prathipaksham”. Its really a matter of shame that they using this as a tool to attack the “Edathupaksham”. Myself thought several times, why caste and religion to be declared while securing admission or leaving secondary school. Its ridiculuous. It should be optional not mandatory, thats what I presume! (I respect all religions and I have do not have any “anubhavam” for any party as well.

• 60 muneer kunnumal // Jun 27, 2008 at 3:03 am

  what are creat our goverment. if you now thise wold running in religion. no relegion wold is die

• 61 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 27, 2008 at 3:19 am

  @BVN

  I went through the text book and here are my comments:
  Having an excerpt from AK Gopalan’s (auto)biography is not expected. He is a well known communist leader of yester years. This is like bombarding commie thoughts in class 7.
  The style in which “Kudiyozhippikkal” and Karivellur Samaram are introduced indeed has a commie angle.
  Too much stress on Land Reforms, unwanted.
  Would a 7th standard kid understand Smt KR Gouriamma’s response to a bill, as told in the assembly?? Why are they doing this?

  Pages on Human Devlopment Indices of Kerala, good, acceptable.
  I don’t understand-what is being taught? Time line of the social changes?
  Why is there an excerpt on how lower caste women used to have food left over by Antarjanams(Namboodiri Brahmin women)??? What are the commies trying to convey?

  Channar Revolt-unwanted , again selling commie ideology.
  Vaikom and Guruvayoor Satyagrahams-These should have been the ONLY one to be included in the text book, rather worth including.

  Pratyaksha Rakshasabha-why get into every single point of social equality.
  Wouldn’t the mention of Vaikom or Guruvayur be enough?
  Same with the mention of Muslim Ikyasangham.

  After going through all these portions, a 7th standard kid reaches a chapter that says, say no not only to caste, but religion. Should these things be taught in school, that too at this level?

  Having the lines from all holy books-accepted.

  But, I still haven’t understood the relevance of a question that asks which religion would be affected the max by inflation, water scarcity, contagious diseases and earthquake..!!!
  May be they wanted the answer, people of all religions would be affected. sigh!

  Chapter 3
  Iniyum Muttott-the mention of Palm Oil rates was unwanted, rest accepted.
  The next page that mentions a “rich guy” who says he will do whatever with his land while a passerby comments why are people protesting? These two kinds of people are painted a shade of ENEMY;yes, the commies what more jobless people for DYFI , SFI whatever.

  The text says, “As discussed in a class, these were the meanings of Freedom”; instead this should have been an open discussion in every class. Shouldn’t that been a better way to do it rather than already having 4 meanings for freedom.

  Parts of the British coming in-well, good! But comparing it with today’s situation? Do they expect an answer of the lines of communism?? Please, gimme a break!!!

  Parts on Bhagat Singh and other revolutionaries-acceptable.
  Throwing light on the revolt of 1857, Jalianwalla Bagh massacare-yes, much needed at this level. If not in class 7, when?

  Other parts on Indian History like pages on Khilafat,Dandi Satyagraha,Quit India-acceptable.

  This chapter ends with a note to start a discussion on Land grabbing, caste/gender based discrimination, accumulation of wealth–is this an NDTV debate?

  News clippings on Forest Guards/Excise attacked,or Sand/Liqour mafia attacking people-UNWANTED.
  Then why not include DYFI/SFI vandalising,killing people in Kannur??? HUH!

  Asking the students to compare the British discipline to India’s prgress(ie Mukesh Ambani’s wealth)-Weird, useless

  Portion on length of day/night-acceptable.
  Other geography portions, parts on civilizations and the rest of the book seem fine to me.

• 62 clash // Jun 27, 2008 at 4:10 am

  This controversy seems to be giving “our athiesm and our communism” some visibilty!

  check this out! Salon!

  http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/06/25/kerala_atheism/index.html

• 63 sujith // Jun 27, 2008 at 4:49 am

  its not bad…..all the problem in india is due to relegious thoughts. it should be private.i appreciate the text book contents.

• 64 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 27, 2008 at 5:01 am

  @sujith
  Suggest going through the text book fully.
  There is a different angle to it. Not only religion.
  Refer my comment above yours.

• 65 N.Gopakumar // Jun 27, 2008 at 5:26 am

  Now the people behind the strike aginst the social science book are realy searching help from different medias to projects their new leaders.Now there is no other way in UDF front to become one leader.May be the new leaders will be selected(by interview) as our politacal leaders.Baby you are mistaken to give a chace to those sugarbits.
  the strike must be for Rotti aur makkan not for cast religion .
  the strike must be for jobs not agaist bus or public.

• 66 Retheesh // Jun 27, 2008 at 5:35 am

  Nikhil,

  I think now the “Religion” is the main concern of our politicians. If anyone look at this text book from the angle of religion, its a stupid thing they are doing in this age. The protests should not be injecting religious fanatisam among different groups and new generation itself. World’s largest democracy has the right to live the way they like, noone or nothing can stop them doing so. So no need to give that much importance to this text book. Are we all leading a life as we were taught by our teachers through the school text books ? Nothing wrong in that chapter.

• 67 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 6:06 am

  @ Nikhil,

  These are my thoughts…

  There are 2 Keralas, one which Parasuraman created by throwing his axe and the other which EMS created by not throwing an axe. Each of us belong to one of these Keralas, and the way we perceive the world differs based on that. All across the mallu blogam, this difference is clearly evident. Just my thoughts, maybe someday we’ll reconcile.

  That said, I’m not an expert in education or what to teach young children. My thoughts on this are very similar to BombayDosti’s comment above (No 51). I do agree with her take that the Devil always lies in the interpretation.

  Even then, your comments on whats acceptable and what is not acceptable are personal based on your world view, i’m ok with that.

  But let us see what expert opinion is,

  The government had called a meeting of the top academics from NCERT in Trivandrum on Monday. They have stood by the text. So has the national agencies for eduction. As per the joint statement issued. (source: Hindu)

  Based on this the expert opinion side is closed, academics say that the text should stay.

  Now for non-experts like you and me, for me, this is clearly a political issue and has to be dealt on the streets politically. This post was a reaction post to the “religious outcry” against Page 24 across news channels last Sunday. I was curious what this Page 24 agaisnt which the KSU state president was fasting in his prison cell.

  I’m not attempting a point by point refutal here,
  just a few thoughts through my pair of rose coloured glasses…

• 68 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 27, 2008 at 6:29 am

  @Brahma
  I liked the 2 Keralas point

  Neither am I an expert in education.

  I took the effort of going through the book and used your comments section to write what I felt.

  The world will NOT be the way a BVN or a Nikhil would want it to be. For NCERT and SCERT, this book is perfectly fine, we don’t have a choice.
  That does not mean that KSU,Yuva Morcha,DYFI, SFI and all morons can do whatever they want in the name of protest.

  I am really unhappy with people wasting their productive energy in agitating,vandalizing, and creating public nuisance.

  Why can’t they do some work? When will Kerala’s state domestic product improve to a level comparable to our neighbours?

• 69 althaf habeeb // Jun 27, 2008 at 7:18 am

  I support the govt

• 70 Payyan // Jun 27, 2008 at 8:02 am

  Congrats first of all… you have created quite a constructive debate here…

  After going through the text book, i feel that the Page 24 is one of the lesser harmful pages in that text. The controversy surrounding that has to be purely for political mileage and vested interests of various groups. I cannot even think of a reason to continue such a large scale debate on something which is so trivial. Lessons like these are necessities of changing times, and it is really commendable that some one has taken the initiative and boldness to do it.

  However, i feel that there are sections in the first half of the book which could have been presented better. A little more discretion could have been made while selecting the literature to be included, because names like AKG need not always go along well with many sections of the society. Of course as u said, Devil always lies in the interpretation. But bear in mind that ours is a land which conspired a Vimochana Samaram against the Communist baddies.

  Also the Gowriyamma speech is absolute crap. I have to meet the seventh standard guy who will understand that fully. And the Mukesh Ambani part is the most mediocre example i have seen in any textbook. Although their intention to highlight the hollowness of the news items fed to us by the media today is commendable, the presentation is pathetic. And some of the data used (eg: Literacy + life expectancy and Land reforms) are misleading and lacks any direct correlation. Technically it is below average.

  I feel that the book should definitely be given the go ahead. There is nothing in it which a normal citizen wuld not come across in his/her life. All the mayhem surrounding it would settle in a week or two once our “news” channels get some new recipe to cook. Let us hope that it survives that initial battle.

  Btw i liked that rose coloured glasses part… The colour also is open to interpretations huh?

• 71 Payyan // Jun 27, 2008 at 8:04 am

  i assume that deep inside u r a leftist by ideology. I hope that interpretation does not hurt.

• 72 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 9:26 am

  @ Nikhil,

  hehe

  “I am really unhappy with people wasting their productive energy in agitating,vandalizing, and creating public nuisance.

  Why can’t they do some work? When will Kerala’s state domestic product improve to a level comparable to our neighbours?”

  Thats exactly where we differ, I want the public to be disturbed. Agitation is productive. We dont run a company here, if the social parameters and living conditions are not affected GDP growth doesnt mean a thing.

  Then again Kerala is growing at 10% YOY. It has a per capita higher than national average. Now again if you consider remittances we are one of the richest states in the country.

  I dont want 50 IT parks in Trivandrum, nor big industries. I dont want our arterial roads to be clogged like Bangalore, nor the land prices to go up a lot that a middle income family cannot afford housing. I dont want Trivandrum to be smoggy like Bangalore. I would rather work in Bangalore or Hyderabad, pollute those places and keep the serenity of my city intact.

  I want agitations and debates to continue in Kerala, its great that we debate these issues.

  A development friendly state like Rajasthan went to a stand still for 2 weeks on a Caste issue. Our investment posterboy Gujarat is the world’s last remaining Hindu republic, going by the preamble it cannot be part of India.
  Last month we saw workers rights in Mumbai when they fled enmasse to Bihar

  These places have higher GDP right? I dont want to live there.

  I wonder when rest of India debates issues like caste, Kerala debates environmental issues like Athirapilly, Tribal issues and Education.

  There are these things which nobody touches - Judiciary, religion and Armed forces. From Day One the left has drawn these “sacred” cows to the street - I love the left for that!

  See we’ve reached there, Kerala is debating a textbook - they do it in US and Europe, not anywhere in Africa or India. Personally I’m proud of that.

  It feels nice to be a mallu, its raining here in Kochi

• 73 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 10:17 am

  @Payyan,

  

  No ideology n all man, I can always sell out for the right price or a good argument

  on the AKG front now that Nikhil and you have said it - I dont see why, when you can quote India’s first Prime minister and teach his books in school its Taboo to even quote India’s First Oppositon leader

  and when you write about Agrarian struggles, is there a better person to quote than AKG? a better CV that fits the bill. I’m not sure, I am open to other names

  and I learnt the difference between Swethambara and Digambara sects in high school and ancient cave carvings in some godforsaken yeah cave. what education was that, I’m wondering.

  Here as you put it, they are told what happened in Kerala, why Kerala is what it is today.

  How can we say Kerala is 100% literate and not mention KSSP or the other organisations that made it possible.

  I have a friend who worked as a teacher in a single teacher school in Attapadi because DYFI asked him to do so.

  Will I do it? No, thats too much trouble. But i can condemn DYFI, ABVP etc, thats easy.
  I can mention land reforms, but not EMS or Achyuthamenon

  I can mention social harmony, but not Nair or Ezhava.

  Point is you cant wrench out the Marxist movement from our history or social discourse.
  and this is not 1959, CPM has become a 400 pound gorilla in the room and you cant chase it out with gangajalam or a cross.

• 74 Vinod/Kakka // Jun 27, 2008 at 10:19 am

  I am not sure whether I should comment on another comment, but need to get to something. This is in relation to Nikhils comments on socialism, palm oil and land ownership rights.
  I feel they are wrong. (My economic leanings are rightwards, and my social leanings are leftwards). Maybe this is the part that the people who are agitating are against too. But why the hypocracy?
  In Kerala, no political leader is going to comment against socialism. No one is going to comment against violent agitations.
  There are very few voices against communalism, rampant religionism, and casteism. One thing that disturbs me is that when I was in school and college, I thought that our society will develop with us. It has not. Casteism is increasing. The influence of religion in every sphere is increasing. Social evils like dowry are on the rise too. There is definitely a place for a lesson on irreligousity and castelessness in 7th standard. Maybe one day we will teach economic literacy too, and people will be better aware how their money is looted in the name of taxation and political omnipotence.

  BVN: regarding your musings about industrialization and such: If Kerala can have an alternate model in social indicators such as education and health, cannot we be an alternate model in economic development and urbanization too? Rather than the government build seaside resorts by buying up land and then giving it off to a private party to develop resorts in a PPP model, can we get the coastal dwellers to form private companies, raise capital to build resorts, have big name hotel companies to operate them, and get worthwhile employment, all at the same time? Will our left discover social entrepreneurship?
  Kerala should be one of the few places on Earth, including the US and Europe where private capital runs public transport, turns a profit, and is taxed to death, while a public corporation does the same, does not pay taxes, and then siphons off tax money to pay for its corruption and inefficency. If we plan our public transport better, could n’t we have urbanization without smog?
  Issues like sewerage leakage into water tables will make our giant sprawl untenable. Have our leaders started planning for 5 or 6 large urban areas? Most of my friends and relatives who are from various parts of our sprawl have just their parents at home now. So, who will live there in a generation? Will it just be the people who debate issues on the street left then?

• 75 BVN // Jun 27, 2008 at 10:46 am

  Vinod,
  “My economic leanings are rightwards, and my social leanings are leftwards” - you are swaying here. You mean a very high social spend on free education and free health with very less or no Taxes? or is it like Netherlands?

  Neways I’ll reply to the things you asked me,

  “alternate model in economic development and urbanization too” - We do, isn’t that what peoples plan campaign was all about? Even in the remotest corners of the state, we have roads now, electrification, bridges - We are turning Kerala into one big town. We dont need cities.

  This govt has a clearly laid out vision of high density development with demarcated green belts.

  Recently, a private party (one BIG name) bought an island off Kochi. They wanted the govt to relax building norms so that they could build 2000 hotels rooms and an IT park. the norms relaxation would have endangered the mangrove forests (kidneys of nature). Plus, because we dont have wood in place of brains - it was clear that an IT park in an island would not be viable. and 2000 hotel rooms? Ok. neways the Govt said “get the hell outta here”. Manorama cried for 2 weeks.

  That my friend is governance for me. Chandy & Kunhalikutty associates would have sanctioned this in 2 days.

  Is the Left in anyway related to Kudumbasri?
  Co-operative movement?

  KSRTC : When I was in plus two, I had tuition at 6 in the morning. I would start from home at 5. Most often I would be the only person in the KSRTC bus, but they come on time. they dont push students out like Private Buses because they have concession. Why are you so concerned about Profits? KSRTC in Trivandrum is a service that I value, when I see these devil’s own Private Buses in Kochi. I’m ready to pay KSRTC’s debts with my tax money. I really dont get your PROFIT funda man.

  How profitable is the Indian Armed Forces? Go find out. We are spending 1 lakh crores for them.

  Corruption: every other survey ranks Kerala as the least corrupt state. It isnt corruption thats ruining KSRTC, its the pensions. You want big ticket corruption - go for Smart City.

  Your friends and relatives home: We have the highest density of population in India. We can find somebody to live over there. yeah they may debate issues.

• 76 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 27, 2008 at 11:33 am

  @BVN
  Ya, we differ.
  I am okay with Trivandrum being as peaceful as it is, though I would love some development.
  Going to tvm is like taking a break to me, trust me

  Agitation, I feel is the channeling of energies in the wrong direction.
  Why are you not on streets vandalizing and agitating? May be because, you have a job in hand.( Question invalid if you actually are agitating)
  People who are there are jobless for sure. Why can’t they work and bring in more prosperity to the state?(Yes, I know we don’t run a factory)
  If the state is growing at 10% Y/Y I feel there is scope for better growth.

  “I don’t want 50 IT parks in Trivandrum, nor big industries. I dont want our arterial roads to be clogged like Bangalore, nor the land prices to go up a lot that a middle income family cannot afford housing. I dont want Trivandrum to be smoggy like Bangalore. I would rather work in Bangalore or Hyderabad, pollute those places and keep the serenity of my city intact.”–Personally I agree to this.(deep inside my heart)

  Two wrongs do not make a right.A Rajasthan or Mumbai burning does not mean we should also be like them.

  Let me make it clear.On the agitation/hartal/activism issue-my only concern is that productivity is lost, not only of the agitators but so many others who can’t go to work/school etc.

  And how can a group of agitators bring a state to stand still?
  To top it all, the so called KSU/SFI goons are all 30+. They are students by no angle, unless off course they are doing Phd.
  I am unhappy with the political activism.Yes, all the result of literacy and better Human Dev Indices.

• 77 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 27, 2008 at 11:45 am

  BVN,
  On the SDP growth, I am surprised Bihar is growing almost at the same rate YY as Haryana.
  Haryana is #1 and Bihar #2 in SDP growth.
  I am surprised.
  http://mospi.nic.in/6_gsdp_cur_9394ser.htm
  (We need not discuss this here, may be you can add me on gtalk)

• 78 scorpiogenius // Jun 27, 2008 at 12:36 pm

  I think now I have a different view on this issue after going through the entire text book issues in Kerala Tips blog…

  The needless commie manifesto is clear on many extracts in the text. Unfortunately Page 24 came under the hammer for all wrong reasons..

  @ Nikhil, dont rely on growth rate info. They can be misleading. For Eg Kerala has the highest growth rate in IT exports last year; from 1000 to 1500 crores.. Consider with Karnatakas growth rate; from 45000 to 54000 crores or something..:))

• 79 clash // Jun 27, 2008 at 1:10 pm

  ho…ho… i am loving it BVN!

• 80 Vinod/Kakka // Jun 27, 2008 at 2:30 pm

  About the economic right wing thing and education and health care:
  1990s CET: Most of the students used to come to college on bikes that cost Rs 20,000, burning a liter of petrol a day. Tuition for a year: Rs 270. Education should be free to those who need it. It does not make much sense for the government to subsidize the higher education of people who spend upto their 12th in the costliest private schools. (I was one of them). The same with health care. The deluxe paywards in Medical college charge rent for the room, but not towards doctors or nurses services. I guess the bigger issue in this would be that if the government started to charge fees, its employees would be held accountable to offering the services that are promised for the money.
  The Public Transport thing: There is no government department in Kerala which decides which routes buses should run in, and when. Private buses are given permits according to applications that are send by owners. Maybe if the government planned the routes, mandated use of electronic ticketing machines and GPS devices to track movement, we would have a good public transport system that does not need much tax rupee inflow.
  The problems with KSRTC are not limited to corruption. I do not know what to call it. I used to live at a place near Kariyavattom called Thundathil. The most used buses would be cancelled (there are no private buses or illegal transportation here, so there is no real motive for doing this) and then 3 buses at times when no one needed them would be provided. Recently, there was a news of new service between Vithura and Eerattupetta. Most probably the newly officer in Vithura was from Eerattupetta.
  About turning Kerala into one big town: I am not sure whether this is good or bad. I used to be a fan of uniform development, but seeing wetlands being destroyed all along the state, and land fragmentation, now I would really like to see dense urban development (with parks and all), and real agricultural land. The mixed income model of our generation (some income from agriculture) may no longer be viable.

• 81 Ashraf // Jun 27, 2008 at 11:27 pm

  In fact these all strickes conducting by UDF is only political interests. These conents of seventh std. text book is very appreciatable.

• 82 Ashraf // Jun 27, 2008 at 11:34 pm

  UDF Strike is only for political interest. they wants to keep communal riots for every time for catching fish from dissolves water.

• 83 Nikhil Narayanan // Jun 28, 2008 at 2:03 am

  @Kakka
  “Recently, there was a news of new service between Vithura and Eerattupetta. Most probably the newly officer in Vithura was from Eerattupetta.”

  Adding on : KSRTC (Kerala) used to run Kottarakara-Bangalore buses during Ganesh Kumar/Balakrishna Pillai raj.And no Tvm-Blore buses. beat that!!!

  @scorpiogenius
  I know. Checked the data closely. Growth figures lie , a lot.

• 84 Mutiny.in » A textbook and related politics // Jun 28, 2008 at 3:03 am

  […] to the most controversial portion, go here - I don’t understand how a lesson that teaches to see human beings above religion can be […]

• 85 sreejith // Jun 28, 2008 at 5:12 am

  7th standard book is not ideal for students but ideal for communist and sfi my opinion is remove the lessons

• 86 Jacob // Jun 28, 2008 at 5:31 am

  The way the Bishops are responding is pathetic. If there is actually some problem, the constituion gives them full freedom to approch the honourable court and could have get a stay order for the text book. Instead they are making clashes and pushing the students to streets, spoiling their working days.(I don’t know, why the catholic bishops are taking this very serious whereas the other christian fractions are keeping themselves away from this and few are supporting the text book) Why they are not approching the court for their support. Better they should act as Bishops and not as Rouddys.

• 87 Somanath // Jun 28, 2008 at 5:53 am

  In the Kerala state christians are controlling the Political parties and their support is very much essential for some parties to come in to power. The fraction of christians also want to enjoy this power. Only for this they are making unnecessary issues to create agitation in the state. In Orissa it is reported attacks on christians. The Bishops and their supporters including the main political parties to react on the attacks on christians and to make the situations normal. When it is taught that the Human beings are originated from the Monkeys, why these priests are not going against it? I want to ask them which one is more important? Faith or religion? If the Bishops make statements sitting in their palaces, the common man will not support them. It is time to know them that the ordinary people who believe in real Jesus Christ is far away from those Bishops.

• 88 JEEVAN // Jun 28, 2008 at 7:47 am

  ITS SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND
  ITS A CIA FUNDED STRIKE HAPPENING IN KERALA. LIKE THEY DONE IN 1958.

  JEEVAN

• 89 vini.k.r // Jun 28, 2008 at 11:16 am

  IN MY OPINION THE LESSON IS AN IDEAL EXAMPLE -’MAN IS BORN WITHOUT ANY RELIGION OR CASTE.MAN MAKES RELIGION AND CASTE HIMSELF’.political and religious leaders worry about the state without religion.

• 90 A concerned citizen // Jun 28, 2008 at 2:24 pm

  I read the book. Page 24 makes the children think and it promotes a dialogue (hopefully, healthy) between teachers and children. This is the kind of education that is needed in today’s world.
  Most schools teach religion, but teaching secularism is also important.

• 91 sajan varghese // Jun 29, 2008 at 12:14 am

  it is very clear that the communist party have a hidden agenda.they are trying to spreadcommunism through the text book. it will spoil our new generation.every keralite should know the same

• 92 Naushad // Jun 29, 2008 at 12:49 am

  Jeevan Without religion or Religion without “Jeevan”

  In this regard I fully agree to Jacob’s comment posted above. The parties who are against the text book should approch the court. They should not play with the future of innocent students and should not confuse them and their parents.

  If they are reluctant to approch the court, it shows they themselves know that they are fully wrong, but fighting for political gains.

• 93 Jooban // Jun 29, 2008 at 5:12 am

  Most often we are listening to the words “hidden agenda”, from many walk of people, Bishops to political leaders, regarding the 7th std text book. Those who speak this have utter confusion and they trying to spread it in vanish.
  The so called hidden agenda of the Communist party in the text book was not seen by many prominent personalities including Malankara Orthodox Bishop Dr. Yoohanon Mar Milithos, Syrian Jacobite Bishop Dr. Geevarghese Mar Koorilose, Marthoma Bishop Dr. Abraham Mar Paulose. (One article in Deshabhimani daily, by Leni Joseph gives detailed information about this)
  One Jacobite priest at Pampady (Kottayam) conducted classes for the 7th standard students in the controversial lesson, found nothing against religion or faith requiring the ban of the text book.
  After reading the article in the Desabhimani, I have gone through the Deepika editorial on 28 Jun 08. I think , the Editors lost their intelligence in criticizing the other Christian Bishops who are not against the Communists. The “hidden words” in the Deepika editorial is clearly visible to all. Those who want to be the saviour of Jesus Christ and protectors of Christianity says “Wild elephant standing behind the seashore doesn’t know anything about the sea”, aiming at non catholic bishops.

• 94 gayathri // Jun 29, 2008 at 5:18 am

  i belive that the chapter in 7th standered text book is really necessory in this present situation. now specially in kerala the people r miss using religion best example is santhosh madhavan in such a situation our new generation must live in a world where we could spread love not relegion
  so i completly support our government

• 95 ashraf kovval // Jun 30, 2008 at 12:47 am

  people says it’s secularism to teach this lesson to the young brains. secularism doesn’t mean to teach anti- relegion. they are trying to convince that the children have the right to choose relegion while attaining the age of majourity. at the same time you shold keep in mind that a relegious parent has the same right to keep their child as a relegious boy or girl. so better we should withdraw the controvercial lessons from the book. that’s secularism.

• 96 Linsen Mathew // Jun 30, 2008 at 4:56 am

  How many of the guys in this group are willing to follow the suit mentioned in the text book? I don’t think any will be there. All the parents prefer their child to be of their religion(and definitely not someone like jeevan). I saw somewhere in the newspaper that there is a family in punalur called casteless and all that bukwas. It’s just for gaining cheap publicity. U believe in u’r religion and that’s it. A christian should not carry a bible in his hands and go out trying to convert non-christians to christians and that’s when the problem starts.

• 97 sam // Jun 30, 2008 at 9:05 am

  nice.

• 98 mks // Jun 30, 2008 at 9:18 am

  4m http://mutiny.in/2008/06/28/a-textbook-and-related-politics/#comment-55700

  That particular chapter is without doubt one of the well constructed chapter in the Kerala school text, given the socio-political situation in Kerala.
  And there’s no parallel to that in the whole world!!! AT THE MOMENT, A CHAPTER LIKE THAT WILL NEVER APPEAR IN TEXT BOOKS IN ANY OTHER PART Of THE WORLD.

  See what is happening in UK (US is not much different )
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/25/faithschools.education
  Anousics, people with a worrying range of beliefs and practices, are indoctrinating our children with the full support of the government.

  The KERALA MODEL again. Celebrate the wisdom of the ppl behind the chapter.

• 99 Manoj // Jun 30, 2008 at 8:40 pm

  Hi all,

  Intersting discussion…I came here starting from the 7th std contraversy..just curious..

  I read the text book & it is just politics behind it to make all these noise..It just says to believe in man..which is really the right thing to do…

  Congress doesn’t have any real issues to bring to the table…if at all there is any… like the inflation or uncontrolled cost or lack of water or power etc….these guys share the same table if not here at the center…so just some drama to kill time..;P

  Hindu is not religion it is only a way of life. Each religion has a founder whereas Hinduism evolved through ages. Atheism is perfectly alright with Hindu culture. Some interesting stuff for further reading..

  http://www.hitxp.com/ved/index.htm

  Preist’s & Mulla’s job ends once people start loving each other & start believe in the God they want to percieve or like. They are just making ‘noise’ in view of insecurity feeling….;P

  Take care everyone..

  Best Rgds,
  Manoj

• 100 Venugopalan // Jul 1, 2008 at 9:13 am

  Excellent!I feel Really proud to be an Indian .Rather more recisely a malayalee..a keralite.
  This is the true fact of life .Some thing which the entire world should have learnt years beore.

  Cheers to Kerala Government..We are all proud of you.

  The intersest of those who fight against this is known to everybody.

• 101 ivar // Jul 1, 2008 at 11:36 am

  i wld score d century …

  ~poda patti ; )

• 102 vinay // Jul 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm

  common Jeevan evolve u people will always see CIA in any agitation against the Commies..atleast this time change to something else….
  what if i say the chinese are involved…can u question me on this . Do yu know what kind of education is being imparted there in China…we all are living in India thats why we have the freedom to say all this..
  this is not just the case of the 24th page only…many here said that the text book is fine..let me ask you…take Gandhiji’s case ….what did he preached?….is that only the quit india and Salt Satyagraha that requires attention in the case of the contributions made by the Mahatma..
  the most valuable message given by Gandhi to our country and the word are the lessons of TRUTH & NON-VIOLENCE. Why the Commies didnt hear of that…o i forgot they only know the blood related ones….
  What kind of message is the govt trying to give to a 7th std student by explaining the story of two girls named sneha ghosh and sunitha chowdhary…in the entire freedom struggle the Commies saw only these two girls contribution to the fredom struggle to represent women WHat a PITY!!!!!
  Gayathri common child say something..

  or is that because the Commies dont have a women of their kind to project in the fredom struggle…

• 103 shakkeer // Jul 2, 2008 at 5:22 am

  thats gd lesson and forward a brillint thinking space for student. all ksu ,msf and others ( who opposed the book)kindly read the book first and thing indipendly .

• 104 BOLIE // Jul 2, 2008 at 6:38 am

  ALL WHAT IS TAUGHT IS NOT REFLECTED IN A CHILD’S LIFE ……HE SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO IDENTIFY THE GOOD AND BAD………..THIS STORY IS JUST A PART OF HIS CHARACTER FORMATION…ITS IN THE HANDS OF A TEACHER TO DIVERT ANY NEGATIVENESS IN A LESSON TO A POSITIVE DIRECTION……….

• 105 sony // Jul 3, 2008 at 1:48 am

  There is nothing wrong in this book.Eventhough the communists are infamous for not doing anything for state. This is something commentable from their part. No need of injecting any religion to kids.

  There are some commentable achivements from communists

  Invention of Bandhs and harthals
  Invention of “salary for not doing Job”

  They dont care about the state but they care about china and Cuba.

  But reccently there are noticeble change in them .Hope they will fare better. As such for this text book there is nothing wrong. UDF is trying to deviate attention of price rise and the church is trying to control the believers.
  May God save kerala

• 106 A.Jabbar // Jul 3, 2008 at 4:55 am

  All stupid ksu ,msf & fundamentlist and others ( who opposed the book)kindly read the book first and thing indipendly and realise the thigs.

  This issue is shame for all malayalees.

• 107 subish // Jul 4, 2008 at 1:07 am

  Now i have a clear cut picture about issue in kerala after reading this. I think there nothing to create a big issue in this. Gods own country has become hell,
  the solution to all problems in kerala is with youths of kerala………..?

• 108 ANIL GEORGE // Jul 4, 2008 at 4:19 am

  Actually I have Shocked after read this ,Because the pages from 1-34 in this text book create a ground braking soceity.

• 109 vinay // Jul 4, 2008 at 12:49 pm

  Jabbar bhai..are u sure u have read it in full…have you come across any recent 7th std books of social studies….havnt u noticed the syllabi…how childish is the method of instructions used for a 12 year old students…
  the more interesting fact is that our honourable edu: minister children or grand children are not studyin all this its the lay man child is the victim here…the so callled socialist Commies…their children are studyin in the CBSE and ISC schools…
  and Sony Nokkukooli is still applicable and hasnt abolished yet…
  Jabbar bhai please use ur words carefully u cannot call the K.S.U stupid who have been fighting for students rights for more than half of the century…

• 110 Naushad // Jul 5, 2008 at 7:36 am

  Dear All,
  Where we are standing and where we are going? Just for a text book teaching reality, we are fighting. Recently I read articles on Deepika daily and Malayala Manorama daily (Both Online) about Police torturing of a Dalit Youth! It is still happeing and the Media reporting it for everybody. When such an incident came in to the text book, the uppercast parties are saying it is not happening in the Gods own country. Please open your eyes and look around. Dont you feel shame?????

  Dear brothers, we burnt the book which printed and teachs the words from Quran. May the almighty forgive all.

• 111 Naushad // Jul 5, 2008 at 7:37 am

  Dear All,
  Where we are standing and to where we are going? Just for a text book teaching reality, we are fighting. Recently I read articles on Deepika daily and Malayala Manorama daily (Both Online) about Police torturing of a Dalit Youth! It is still happeing and the Media reporting it for everybody. When such an incident came in to the text book, the uppercast parties are saying it is not happening in the Gods own country. Please open your eyes and look around. Dont you feel shame?????

  Dear brothers, we burnt the book which printed and teachs the words from Quran. May the almighty forgive all.

• 112 Jooban // Jul 5, 2008 at 7:52 am

  If the parliament election is not there, then the opposition will leave this text book issue.
  If the Self financing college fees issue get solved in favour of the Management, they will also forget about the text book.

  So let us leave this and think something creatively.

• 113 malayaliiii // Jul 5, 2008 at 4:43 pm

  Is there exist a great problem with the text?whether the ans is yes or no,the thing we have to do is make discussions and negotiations and thus solve the problem.all these issues are unnecessary.there may be many mistakes in the text , the gov and the oppositions should solve all…by forgetting all their politics..because these things will affect the entire society

• 114 Amrita // Jul 5, 2008 at 11:06 pm

  LOL, power shortage, no garbage pick up, roads falling to bits, inadequate port security, unemployment, suicide, liquor smuggling, inflation… but let’s worry about teaching kids about the Left’s atheism.

  Sounds about right.

• 115 Praveen TC // Jul 6, 2008 at 5:53 am

  We need knowledge about all live things.

• 116 Retheesh // Jul 6, 2008 at 6:26 am

  Request Kerala Govt. to continue publishing this text book including this chapter and must be included in the syllubus starting from 2008. Let us hope for a change in the young generation. Every human being is born on this earth with freedom. Let our children also live in a free world with equal rights for everything. Good Luck to all my children in Kerala. Love you all.