The Hindu : Karnataka News : Row over illustration of man smoking in textbook

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Friday, Jun 20, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Row over illustration of man smoking in textbook

Special Correspondent

PANAJI: The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE, India), a Goa-based organisation spearheading a campaign against tobacco use, has objected to an illustration of a man smoking in the social science textbook of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) prescribed for standard 10th in Goa and sought an immediate withdrawal of the book. In a letter addressed to Gautam Ganguly, NCERT, New Delhi on Thursday, Shekhar Salkar, general secretary of NOTE, has expressed shock over the illustration of a man smoking in the textbook.

He pointed out that the book had shown the late French commander Henry Navare smoking a cigarette.

It is ironical that on the one hand after repeated persuasions, the Central Government is attempting to enlighten the citizens about the menace of tobacco and on the other, its Education Department was oblivious to the clandestine propagation of smoking habit, Dr. Salkar said.

Plea

He urged the NCERT to take cognisance of the illustration, which is highly likely to influence unsuspecting students in their adolescence, and to withdraw the illustration with immediate effect.

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