88 books, including several by RSS leaders, to be added to curriculum in Madhya Pradesh colleges

The Higher Education Department has also recommended the formation of a ‘Bharatiya Gyan Parampara Prakoshtha’ (Indian Knowledge Tradition Cell) in each college to facilitate the introduction of these books in various undergraduate courses.

The order has been met by opposition from the Congress, which said only “relevant subjects” should be taught and that conflicts over “political ideology” should not be fostered in colleges.

The BJP said there was nothing objectionable in the books and that they would teach the ideology of “nation building and patriotism”.

In a letter addressed to the principals of all government and private colleges in Madhya Pradesh, Dr Dhirendra Shukla, a senior official of the Higher Education Department, instructed the institutions to purchase the set of 88 books without delay.

Shukla told The Indian Express, “We are continuously issuing orders to include new books that will be taught in all the colleges of the state including the PM Excellence colleges. So far, we have recommended around 400 books. It is unfair to say that the books are of RSS leaders only.”

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advocates the inclusion of Indian knowledge traditions in academic curricula.

“There are many publishers that provide their catalogue, and we chose the best books that would help spread Indian ideology and traditions. These books were included following the New Education Policy,” Shukla said.

As many as 14 of the 88 books were authored by Dinanath Batra, a former general secretary of Vidya Bharti, who has played a key role in the RSS’s educational initiatives. In 2017, Batra had recommended to NCERT thatm revolutionary Punjabi poet Avtar Pash’s poem ‘Sabse Khatarnaak’ be removed from a class 11 Hindi textbook.

In June, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had announced plans to incorporate the teachings of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna in the state’s educational curriculum. Yadav, who served as Higher Education Minister in the previous BJP government, has been a strong proponent of integrating Indian cultural and religious traditions into the education system

Criticising the government’s directive, Congress spokesperson Mukesh Nayak said the books introduced should have been ones that help build actual skills.

“There is an unemployment issue in the state, which needs to be addressed. Colleges should not be turned into centres of conflict over political ideology. Only relevant subjects that touch on life should be taught,” Nayak said.

Hitting back, BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja said, “The Congress had banned the RSS, and the courts have pushed back against it. The ideology of nation building and patriotism will now be taught with these books. If it was upto the Congress, they would teach appeasement.”

A senior RSS functionary asked, “What material is in these books that could be an issue? Any book can be ideological, that should not be the issue. There are other books as well in the list, why are only some selected books being targeted?”