New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking a direction to stop distribution of textbooks published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for classes XI and XII allegedly containing several phrases offending to the Hindu religion, Jats and Scheduled Castes.

A Bench consisting of Justices K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain asked the petitioners to make a representation to authorities for getting the offending portions deleted.

The petition by the Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti, the Delhi Pradesh Citizens Council and Bijender Singh Lather said certain phrases in the Class XI Hindi textbook hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. A reference to "Ramnami" hurt Hindus. In the Class XII history textbook, certain derogatory references were made against Jats.

"Unconstitutional"

The Samiti said it had made several representations to the NCERT for removal of the offending words but with no result. The phrases used in the books violated the fabric of secularism, the basic structure of the Constitution.

The derogatory words used against the SC/ST were unconstitutional and in violation of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The petitioners said the Centre and the NCERT had an obligation to impart value-based education to the new generation and to work for harmony.

But the writers of the textbooks had given the go-by to the recommendations of various committees and commissions. They sought a direction to the respondents to delete the offending phrases and to take action against the writers.

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