Odisha bandh: Normal life hit in parts of state over school textbook errors
Normal life was partially disrupted across parts of Odisha on Wednesday as the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) observed a 12-hour bandh demanding accountability over alleged errors in government school textbooks.
Shops, commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed in several areas, while protesters blocked roads and burnt tyres, affecting traffic in parts of Khurda, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur and other districts. Government offices largely continued to function and train services were mostly unaffected. Essential and emergency services were exempted from the shutdown.
The NNKS has demanded the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, holding the government accountable for the textbook errors. The organisation has been observing a relay hunger strike since August 20.
Among the errors highlighted by the organisation are references to the Niyamgiri Hills as being in Jharkhand, a photograph of the Karnataka Assembly being used instead of the Odisha Assembly, and a textbook describing scientist Isaac Newton as a pilot.
The controversy is backed by an official disclosure that 1,741 errors were identified in textbooks for Classes 1 to 8, including 1,075 grammatical, typographical and spelling errors and five factual or conceptual inaccuracies. The state government has said revised textbooks are being distributed.
The Prime Minister’s Office has directed the Odisha government to examine a complaint alleging irregularities in the printing and supply of school textbooks and take appropriate action.
Ahead of the bandh, authorities deployed additional security personnel. The Board of Secondary Education, Odisha, also clarified that no decision had been taken to postpone or cancel examinations because of the shutdown.
