Karnataka - Bangalore   

SFI resents move to ‘saffronise’ education

BANGALORE: The Students Federation of India (SFI) has warned of an agitation if the Government goes ahead with its plan to “saffronise” the school curriculum.

Delivering the keynote address at a State-level education convention organised by the SFI State unit in Bangalore on Saturday, SFI national joint secretary P.K. Biju said that the federation would resist the move to “saffronise” education.

Mr. Biju took exception to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri’s statement that “the content of textbooks would be changed on the lines of Gujarat.”

Terming this as a violation of secular and democratic principles, he said that the SFI would not allow such things to happen.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Gujarat had changed textbooks and included content that would upset communal harmony. The Yeddyurappa Government might introduce similar content in the State if such moves were not opposed, he said.

SFI State president B. Rajashekhara Murthy said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had managed to get only 34 per cent vote share in the Assembly elections.

“This shows that 66 per cent of people are not supporting you. Any attempt to violate the democratic and secular principles by the government will face resistance from the people,” he said.

Mr. Murthy alleged that the Government was trying to privatise the education sector in the State by citing poor infrastructure facilities in government schools.

“If Mr. Yeddyurappa has any concern for development of the education sector, he should earmark a minimum of 30 per cent of the total budgetary allocation for it. The Centre should set aside 10 per cent of its budgetary allocation for the sector,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, former legislator and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader G.V. Srirama Reddy said that present-day education system had no relevance to society. It focussed on amassing wealth rather than inculcating values, he said.

Mr. Reddy termed the attempt to “saffronise the education system and divide society on the basis of religion” as a tough challenge before students.

He urged the SFI to take the lead in launching a struggle to save the students from being lured by communal forces.

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