Demanding immediate withdrawal and ban of controversial history textbooks for Class XII, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday levelled serious allegations against Akali Dal Badal-BJP and Congress Governments of tampering with the Sikh history.
“A big-scale and calculated conspiracy has been hatched to distort the facts about Sikh history, Sikh Gurus, Gurubani and the history of Punjab and its martyrs,” alleged AAP’s spokesperson and MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan. He said that this misinformation and distorted facts are being served to the new generation, but Congress, Captain and SAD-BJP governments do not care because they are only thinking of making money through ‘book mafia’, in collaboration with the private publishing houses; and that was why a book, with so many mistakes, is being sold for Rs 400 to the Class XII students. Sandhwan demanded immediate withdrawal of these books from syllabus and ban on books of Prof Manjit Singh, Dr AC Arora, and Dr MS Mann, all published by private publications.
AAP leader also sought clarification from the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Education Minister Pargat Singh, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, former Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla, former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal including other Congressmen and Akali Dal (Badal) politicians as to whether Guru Hargobind Ji had served in the army of Mughal ruler Jahangir after releasing 52 kings from Gwalior Fort.
“This is stated by AC Arora on page 81 of his book ‘History of Punjab’. Do the ruling government and scholars agree with this statement? If not, why are such books still part of the school syllabus and why are they (previous governments) silent on the controversial remarks?” he asked. Sandhwan added, “Dr Mann's book states that Guru Hargobind was forced to pick up the sword by the jatts of Punjab. Aren't such comments a direct attack on Miri-Piri's resolve? The Congress and the Akali (Badal) should also clarify this. Similarly, it says that Guru Gobind Singh formed Khalsa Panth to include jatts in his army, which is not only wrong but also intolerable.”
He also pointed out that Gurbani quoted in these books is full of spelling mistakes, which changes its meaning and is disrespect of Gurbani. Sandhwan also expressed surprise over silence of Akal Takht Jathedar and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee over the issue, when so many written complaints are being lodged in this regard.
Further highlighting that these books also contain disinformation about freedom fighters and martyrs of Punjab, Sandhwan apprehended that making such controversial books part of school education is a bigger conspiracy to distort our history by easily influencing our young minds. “It is an academic fraud and such books should be banned immediately,” he demanded.
