Working women behind rising men’s unemployment: Chhattisgarh school textbook

“Before independence few women were employed. But today women are employed in all sectors that has increased the proportion of unemployment among men,” says the chapter.

The other causes listed are slow industrilisation, faulty education system, population increase and uneducated and unskilled labour.

Soumya Garg, a teacher in Jashpur district, has sent a letter to Chhattisgarh Women’s Commission contending that the chapter is discriminatory. “It violates the rights of women. They have equal rights in matters of employment,” Garg told The Indian Express.

Women’s commission member Harshita Pandey noted that the commission will take note of the matter soon. “It is a serious issue, we will write to the concerned authorities for its deletion from text books,” Pandey said.

While the Congress president Bhupesh Baghel has slammed the BJP government for its anti-women stand, the Raman Singh government remains tight-lipped. As the controversy raged through the day, no official clarification was issued from the department.

“The chapter (which contains controversial representation of women) will be withdrawn from the textbooks. I have issued directives in this regard to take immediate action,” School Education Minister Kedar Kashyap said.

The chapter will not be taught in the current academic session and it will be removed from the next year, Kashyap added.

The chapter has been there in the textbooks since 2008 and an investigation will be conducted to identify those responsible for it. This will be followed by appropriate action against the guilty, the minister added.

Besides, the School Education Department will form a committee to evaluate contents of all textbooks of higher classes- 10th ,11th  and 12th, he said.

In a chapter on economic problems and challenges, working women were claimed to be one of the reasons for unemployment.

It further said the percentage of working women was very less in pre-independence era but now they are working in all sectors due to which the ratio of unemployed male has increased.

Congress condemned the controversial chapter, saying it is a conspiracy of ruling BJP to instill patriarchal mindset in children.

“The students are being taught a wrong lesson. It is conspiracy of ruling BJP to represent a negative image of women. It clearly indicates that the agenda of BJP and Sangh Pariwar is anti-women,” Congress state spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI.

“It is highly objectionable and action should be taken against those who have compiled the contents of the book,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)