The main Opposition in the State Assembly, Congress on Wednesday demonstrated inside the House on Wednesday over a geography textbook that describes Gond tribe as cow killers and beef eaters.
Minister for Higher Education Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya tried to steer clear of the controversy saying that the state government has nothing to do with the publication of the said book, and added that the book has been withdrawn and the author has been blacklisted.
leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Ajay Singh, raised the matter in Assembly during zero hour while referring to the book ‘Bharat Ka Bhugol’ being taught in Master of Arts (MA)
course. Referring to the Gond dynasties, Singh dubbed the book as derogatory to the tribe.
In no time, the Congress legislators stepped into the Well and created ruckus. After this, minister Pavaiya intervened and said that the book and its author Harish Khatri have been blacklisted.
Paying no heed to his reply, the opposition MlAs kept raising slogans.
The Minister informed the House that the textbook was published by a private publisher and the books were bought for the Jabalpur based Mahakaushal College library.
later, Pawaiya talking tomedia persons in the assembly campus said that these books are being withdrawn and show cause notices have been issued to
college principal and the college officer who purchased the books.
“The Congress party is leveling baseless allegations out of frustration after Assembly election defeats,” the minister said.
During interaction with the media, Ajay Singh called state government as anti-tribal and sought a statement from chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the issue in the Assembly.