In Rajasthan, the case of writing objectionable things against the religion of Islam has come to light in Class 12th Political Science textbook and a guide book.
The Muslims in the State have been opposing the introduction of this content targeting their religion since this matter came to their notice. They are demanding that the objectionable material be removed from the book and also to file a case against the publisher and the authors.
OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT
The offensive things have been written against the religion of Islam in the book of Political Science of Class 12th of the Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan, Ajmer, and the Sanjeev Passbook of this class.
The Question No. 5 on Page No. 395 of Sanjeev Passbook is: “What do you understand by Islamic terrorism?”
In response to this question, it has been written in the passbook that “Islamic terrorism is a form of Islam”.
At the same time, on Page No. 156 in the textbook of Class 12th Political Science being run by the Rajasthan Board of textbooks, objection is on Question No. 4, that is a multiple choice question. In this question it is written:
Which of the following is not the objective of Islamic terrorism?
(A) Establish a Muslim nation in the world
(B) Resist Western Non-Muslim powers from violent activities
(C) Establish peace in the world
(D) Implementing Islamic laws and principles in the world
On page No. 157 of this book, a small answer type question No. 6 asks: “What do you mean by Islamic terrorism?”
DISCREDITING ISLAM, MUSLIMS IN TEXTBOOKS?
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Rajasthan State Secretary Naeem Rabbani said that in the Sanjeev Passbook as well as the Textbook, Islam and Muslims have been maligned by calling Islam “a form of terrorism”. Rajasthan Muslim Forum held a press conference in Jaipur on March 15 and spoke to the owners of Sanjeev Passbook and raised objections in this matter.
Rabbani said that on March 17, they also met with the Jaipur Police Commissioner Anand Shrivastava and filed a petition to register a case in this case.
Along with this, they also spoke to Mahesh Joshi, the Chief Whip in Rajasthan Government and demanded to take action on this matter.
COMMUNITY DEMANDS
According to the Congress leader Mohsin Rashid, who took up this matter, the main demands of the Muslim community are as follows:
- FIR to be registered against the publisher;
- 10 authors of Rajasthan Textbook Board should be blacklisted and arrested;
- Sanjeev Passbook and Textbook Division publicly confess their mistake and apologise; and
- The books with objectionable content which are in market should be withdrawn immediately.
Protests in many places in Rajasthan demand action against the publisher and the authors.
When this matter came to the fore, protests took place all over Rajasthan and a demand to register FIR was given by submitting a memorandum to the Collector.
A delegation comprising representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Sawai Madhopur; SIO Sawai Madhopur and the Fraternity Movement met with the District Collector and handed a memorandum addressed to the Education Minister over to him, demanding strict action and an FIR against the publisher and authors.
APOLOGY
Sanjeev Prakashan has apologised by writing a letter to Naeem Rabbani, Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Rajasthan. The Director of the Sanjeev Passbook has written in the letter that they personally came to know that on Page No. 395 of their Political Science Class 12 passbook some wrong words were printed by mistake of their author, due to which “you have been hurt and you are also right to feel hurt”. “We apologise for that. Sanjeev Passbook’s family has always had goodwill towards all society, religion, caste.”
The Director has also written in the letter that any wholesaler with whom this passbook is withheld has been stopped for sale and all the books will be returned and destroyed as soon as possible.
APOLOGY NOT ACCEPTED
On behalf of Rajasthan Muslim Forum, Mohsin Rashid says that even before the publication of such objectionable content came to light, the publisher had issued an apology but again the same mistake is being repeated, so we are not accepting this apology. He said that this time we will take legal action by filing a lawsuit against the publisher so that such mistake is not repeated in future.
CASE FILED AGAINST PUBLISHER
Naeem Rabbani said that on March 17 an FIR was lodged against Sanjeev Passbook and Rajasthan State Textbook Board at Lal Kothi police station Jaipur, for publishing objectionable content in Class 12 Political Science textbook against Islam and discrediting the Muslim community. Police has registered a case under Sections 295A and 120B of IPC.
Rabbani said that in the afternoon of March 17, a delegation of Rajasthan Muslim Forum met with the Jaipur Police Commissioner and demanded that an FIR be lodged immediately. After that, an FIR has been lodged by Mohsin Rashid Khan and Abdul Salam Johar.
He said that they also thank MLA Rafiq Khan and MLA Amin Kagzi for their full cooperation in this matter.
In the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly session, MLA from Adarsh Nagar Assembly of Jaipur, Rafeeq Khan raised the matter in the House. Rafiq Khan, through the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, demanded from Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara for removal of objectionable content from the textbook and Sanjeev passbook and to take action against the publisher as well as the authors.