More on the seventh standard textbook
June 26th, 2008
In the last post I looked at the "controversial religious" section on the textbook and commented that there is no "communist ideology" in it. It seemed pretty good material.
Yesterday I was going through the entire textbook and noticed that in fact very cleverly some ideas and perceptions are injected using the book. What we need to note here is that this textbook supposed to be for seventh standard.
In the above the the guy on the left says - "I am a free citizen of India. I have the freedom to keep my land without agriculture!". Now what you see on the right is a gang of thugs (I am using the term thugs because they are clearly blocking the road and seems menacing). They reminds me of the "vettinirathal team". The same set of goondas who destroyed property of farmers in many areas. Also note the vilification of the guy on the left picture (rich and he has a car!). Here is another example,
As you can see it almost gives an impression "Mukesh ambani" is a villain just because he has lot of money. Throughout text children are fed the idea that "having money" or "trying to make money" is anti-social. Clearly there is nonsense involved here. Remember that Mukesh Ambani gives millions of Indians jobs directly and indirectly not to mention about the services his company provides.
Let me tell you my friends, things are NOT as simple as it seems. I suggest you completely read the seventh standard textbook before forming opinions. Clearly there is material in it which I would say is "controversial" and sometimes is of bad taste. Creating social tension should never be the aim of a textbook. We already have too much strikes and lockouts in the state. The textbook clearly encourages new generation to be worse (and violent) than the current one.
My conclusion is this - The textbook clearly requires a thorough review and correction. In its current form it requires only slight changes before it can be made into a "communist party manifesto"!.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:55 am
These are utter nonsense topics. These give oppurtunity for the teacher to force political opinions on to students.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:22 am
The religious/community organisations, who are acting like main opposition in the state, are creating a very grave situation. They seems to be blind to forsee the ramifications. They had better mind their business. How can they ask a democratically elected government to perform according to their whims and fancies. This is facist tendency. People need to understand and ignore with deserved contempt. If they have any difference with curriculum why dont they try redress the grievance democratically through court? For their rights, always they swear by the Constitution!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:31 am
These are tactics by communists to propogate politics in schools. They will have more school children to cause more chaos to the existing political anarchy.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Hi man..
i came to know about this blog somedays b4 and did visit almost all posts for the last few months and did subscribe to the RSS feed! This is a really great blog on Kerala..thanks for not posting any hateblogs as most of he mallus do in their blogs and its nice that u r bringing a slight sarcastic nature to ur blog!
The communist party always sucks..As u have mentioned b4 they are just a shadow of what they where..they just after money and power these days..’C'orporate ‘P’arty of ‘I’ndia, which has a strong base in 2 or 3 state is one of the richest party in India, the irony is that this Corporate party is for working class thats obviously not the richest!!
They are always afraid of changes, the implementation of computers, the Express Highway, privatization…to name a few!!
Communism will fade away and die…I hope it does in my lifetime!!
June 26th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Business/Industry will prosper in Kerala only when the commies are shot down.
Only when guys stop becoming unemployable and try a bit of SFI,KSU or DYFI and then rot , burden the state, and then create law and order issues.
However screwed up the text books are, KSU or Muslim Students Association(whatever that was) have no right to protest in a way that causes hard ship to public. How dare they burn text books, causing losses to the state.
Okay, I hate commies, I hate all politicians now.
How can 30+ oldies be part of KSU/SFI? They are doing their Phd? Sigh!
Why don’t these morons(all parties and their chamchas) look around and see other states progressing? Why why?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:46 am
This may have been an off the topic rant..still…
June 26th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
The comms are hypocrite lots. See how their stands changed like a chameleon when they got power in the issues of plus 2, computers, IT parks, MC road development, Express Highway etc. When they get commission they are ready for U-turn. Shame on people who vote for comms!!
June 26th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I dont see any problem with these either. These are topics that that student should put some thought on. I dont see any point of view being imposed.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I don’t think any thing wrong in this, but can say the communists are trying to implement their views to children.which is not comfortable to other politicians .
but think twice- all leads to build up a community of equllibrium.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
@keralatips
>>Throughout text children are fed the idea that “having money” or “trying to make money” is anti-social. Clearly there is nonsense involved here. Remember that Mukesh Ambani gives millions of Indians jobs directly and indirectly not to mention about the services his company provides.<<
I am quite sure thats not what the mention of mukesh ambani is meant to ignote thoughts on. it is to think twice before u reach conclusions.. mukesh ambani’s wealth is not a way of quantifying india’s progress.. i would believe that “enthayippo nammude oru sthithi. nammude cricket team twenty twenty jayichille” also would have conveyed the same information/message that the author had to convey.. the message is “understand what things matter, and what things dont matter - when u are talking about a nation’s progress”, and I believe that that message was conveyed very nicely there..
June 26th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
This is called paadam 1 oru vilaapam…
I dont see any problem in this..(as an independent individual)
But persons with vested interests may see something else…
June 27th, 2008 at 9:05 am
There is a hidden agenda behind all these. These Chinese spies want to spread politics in schools. The teachers under communist rule can be used to canvas school children throughout the state to join SFI. Chinese communists have captured Nepal and most parts of North Central India (where they have their own rule, having separate communist country within India). Now China is using the spies to make Kerala into another Nepal. So beware Kerala!!!!!!
June 27th, 2008 at 9:46 am
There is also high risk for students. If such a question comes for the exam and the student sides with communists or capitalists. Suppose the teacher who values is either leftist or rightist. Then, even if the student has justified his view well, he will get more or less marks depending on the political affiliation of the teacher!!!!! Sometimes he may get 0 marks for expressing his view and lose more marks for other questions also.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:15 am
In my CBSE Hindi, dunno-which-class, I had a lesson on Kabir which said, after his death Muslims and Hindus fought for his body and his body turned into roses.
And it was when PVN Rao was our PM and Congress was ruling.
How did this chapter influence me I wonder. I am sure, it would have been class 7 or 8.
This protest is all BULL jus’ to gain some mileage.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:28 am
The text book cover seems like Central govt. coming to help the state govt(the help seeking hands have Kerala govt. insignia next to them)
LOL
June 27th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
@Joseph
I went through the text book and here are my comments:
Having an excerpt from AK Gopalan’s (auto)biography is not expected. He is a well known communist leader of yester years. This is like bombarding commie thoughts in class 7.
The style in which “Kudiyozhippikkal” and Karivellur Samaram are introduced indeed has a commie angle.
Too much stress on Land Reforms, unwanted.
Would a 7th standard kid understand Smt KR Gouriamma’s response to a bill, as told in the assembly?? Why are they doing this?
Pages on Human Devlopment Indices of Kerala, good, acceptable.
I don’t understand-what is being taught? Time line of the social changes?
Why is there an excerpt on how lower caste women used to have food left over by Antarjanams(Namboodiri Brahmin women)??? What are the commies trying to convey?
Channar Revolt-unwanted , again selling commie ideology.
Vaikom and Guruvayoor Satyagrahams-These should have been the ONLY one to be included in the text book, rather worth including.
Pratyaksha Rakshasabha-why get into every single point of social equality.
Wouldn’t the mention of Vaikom or Guruvayur be enough?
Same with the mention of Muslim Ikyasangham.
After going through all these portions, a 7th standard kid reaches a chapter that says, say no not only to caste, but religion. Should these things be taught in school, that too at this level?
Having the lines from all holy books-accepted.
But, I still haven’t understood the relevance of a question that asks which religion would be affected the max by inflation, water scarcity, contagious diseases and earthquake..!!!
May be they wanted the answer, people of all religions would be affected. sigh!
Chapter 3
Iniyum Muttott-the mention of Palm Oil rates was unwanted, rest accepted.
The next page that mentions a “rich guy” who says he will do whatever with his land while a passerby comments why are people protesting? These two kinds of people are painted a shade of ENEMY;yes, the commies what more jobless people for DYFI , SFI whatever.
The text says, “As discussed in a class, these were the meanings of Freedom”; instead this should have been an open discussion in every class. Shouldn’t that been a better way to do it rather than already having 4 meanings for freedom.
Parts of the British coming in-well, good! But comparing it with today’s situation? Do they expect an answer of the lines of communism?? Please, gimme a break!!!
Parts on Bhagat Singh and other revolutionaries-acceptable.
Throwing light on the revolt of 1857, Jalianwalla Bagh massacare-yes, much needed at this level. If not in class 7, when?
Other parts on Indian History like pages on Khilafat,Dandi Satyagraha,Quit India-acceptable.
This chapter ends with a note to start a discussion on Land grabbing, caste/gender based discrimination, accumulation of wealth–is this an NDTV debate?
News clippings on Forest Guards/Excise attacked,or Sand/Liqour mafia attacking people-UNWANTED.
Then why not include DYFI/SFI vandalising,killing people in Kannur??? HUH!
Asking the students to compare the British discipline to India’s prgress(ie Mukesh Ambani’s wealth)-Weird, useless
Portion on length of day/night-acceptable.
Other geography portions, parts on civilizations and the rest of the book seem fine to me.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
yes nikhil, when you read the entire textbook a different picture appears. It is a subtle/not so subtle attempt to inject communism to young children.
Well, they may be trying out a test dose to see how it goes. Every fascism starts in small steps.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
@Joseph
Beat this, I spent half my day going through the book.
Hope even you have gone through the book and share similar opinions.
I do not subscribe to the any political ideology be it the commies, the congress or the BJP…
These people need to be thrown out of Kerala for good.
Nobody is ready to work! Every body wants to fight against the system. Rights, it seems! B@lls!(Jagathy etho padathil paranja pole paranjal baaals, unda!!!)
Why can’t these people go and start working?
Sigh!
June 27th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
well well well…
Nikhil, Kerala tips..you’ve done a great job. That text needs some editing…badly.
But i still believe page 24 should stand.
June 28th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
@scorpiogenius
Thanks.
Edits needed. Even I agree,page 24 is nothing even to me(refer a comment on Kabir).
June 28th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Ok, lemma start wit a disclaimer: I HAVENT READ D SAID TEXT BOOK. D FOLLOWIN OPINON IS BASED ON THE FEW SCREEN SHOTS OF D BOOK ABOVE:
About d first screenshot;”..jeeven who has no religion..”, its an excellent piece for a 7th std student. It propogates d right idea in aimple and clear language. Kudos…
Regardin “..free citizen of india…” part, i fear its too complex an idea to cater to a 12 year old. Though intention is good.
The third screenshot, sorry…. i dint understand what was meant by d sarcasm in dat coment. Anyways, BEIN RICH IS NO CRIME. Rather, people like Ambanis, Tatas , Biyanis, Mittals etc should be projected as motivational figures in those text books.
About the criticism, as long as the book is not preachin atheism, its fine. Let students decide whether there’s god or not. As far as I have understood the book is preachin secularism rather than atheism.
And, d holy critics D GREAT KERALA CHRISTIAN CHURCH etc etc @#$%^@#$%%^…. Sorry i cant use any swear words here….
June 28th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
We have slipped so much into the past by now,thanks to our political leadership who are assured of power every alternate five years.Off course courtesy citizens of 100% literate Kerala.Our present leadership need not be so obsessed with our future.First let us catch up with the present.Dear leaders future always follows the present,that is what I was taught at school.
Please allow our generation to reach the present,we are still lost and wandering in the past.We are too far away from the future.Please allow us to have a glimpse of present
July 1st, 2008 at 8:24 am
The Teacher’s handbook of the text book clearly shows communist agenda. It asks the teacher to think like a commie. If the student’s thinking is against this commie opinion he may be identified and punished for his ‘anti-commi’ view. Keralites dont want this Chinese KGB book!!!
July 1st, 2008 at 9:32 am
Having just returned home (to Bangladesh) from a brief visit to Kerala, I was curious about the textbook controversy and checking the internet to learn more about it. The controversial text is quite interesting in that it portryas exactly the same stance that my wife and I took in relation to our son who just turned 10. In his school (which is run by missionaries), we asked that the religion box be left blank for him. This is of course not always easy to do in countries like ours. We have also had to talk to our son many times to reassure him that it\’s OK for him not to have any religious label at the moment. He would have loved to see the Kerala textbook entry in his own school textbook! (However, from reading some comments, it seems that the matter could have been conveyed more skillfully, without giving the bigots a chance to grind their axes–but I cannot judge this fully myself as I cannot read Malayalam).
July 1st, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Some topics can misunderstand by student eventhough the writer didn’t thinks like that. There is a topic about joining a student in a class, where his father and mother are different religion. Student can think that no need to beilive in any religion. And in his/her mind he may lost belive in religion.
Let the student belive his/her religion.
a 7th class student is not mentally fit to accept these subjects.
So it is better to review and do appropriate changes.
July 7th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Enthado than vechu vilambunnathu…..
Nigalude Communisam pracharippikkunnathu Nish kalangakarum prathikarikkathavarumaya kuttikalkkano vilambunnathu,
Ethil Samvadavum charchayum nadathan prayapoorthiyum buthiyumullavrode vannoloo……
Athallathe Soviyathu rashyayil ninnum Mattumokke thootheriyappetta EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Pulichu Nariyathe Kuttikale teettikkan changal Sammadikkilla!
July 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
i went through the text-book completely.
last saturday i had a chance to read the editorial page of Mathrubhumi. i want you people to view that (only a suggestion)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll320/Kochuboys/social-news2.png
Another angle of viewing a problem. rt?
July 11th, 2008 at 12:59 am
This book requires editing. As someone pointed out, the meaning hasn’t conveyed in some portions (especially the question, which religion…)though the answer is obvious!.
Chapter 24 seems ok for me but not apt for a 7th standard student.What was the intention?.
The cartoon like stuff on British rule and ambani should have been avoided. its nonsense!.
Everyone knows the hypocrisy.Who can forget strikes on non-issues like computers,Express highway,ADB loan etc. and finally spinning words and going for it!!!.
Though an attempt for change,some reforms are very untimely and lagging, like the fee for self-financing institutions.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Actually there is nothing related to communism is there in the textbook. this book supprots secularism, it also makes the students to care their enviornment and the third part, the ambani stuff, i couldn’t get it….. but nothing wrong is conveyed there….
July 16th, 2008 at 1:10 am
the communists are trying to set up kerala a nonreligious state and leads to be a stata like bengal
July 18th, 2008 at 9:47 am
The book along with the instructions in its teacher’s manual is meant for creating a one-sided political viewpoint. It brings forth only issues where the commies can twist the facts. It is really a communist book having a hidden agenda of inducting communist policies but appear to be neutral. Why dont they include issues like dowry or whether harthal is good or bad for people or whether or not English education is needed or not or why we need it for our survival, ever since they destroyed the industries of Kerala? Also, if the student say against the commie agenda, they will be punished.
July 19th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
The cluster meetings of teachers are used by the communist party to inject their stalinistic hell ideas into teachers and instruct them to take which stand when they take class.
August 5th, 2008 at 4:36 am
# ummer melmuri Says:
July 16th, 2008 at 1:10 am
the communists are trying to set up kerala a nonreligious state and leads to be a stata like bengal
the usa is a non religios state and it seems okay here although there are some tolerance problems
λ†Эїς† ♥
“If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No, calling a tail a leg don’t make it a leg.”
Abraham Lincoln
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
Thomas Jefferson
But a short time elapsed after the death of the great reformer of the Jewish religion, before his principles were departed from by those who professed to be his special servants, and perverted into an engine for enslaving mankind, and aggrandizing their oppressors in Church and State.
– Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to S. Kercheval, 1810
In science it often happens that scientists say, “You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken,” and then they actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. … It happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
– Carl Sagan
August 11th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Reply to Ummer Melmuri
Bangal is non relegious state !! It is really surprise ! USA also non-relegious state, but not that much problems like Bangal. I think you live in USA many years.
You do know about USA.They are facing a lot of issues.main problems in USA is sex, family system is not that much strong.
What is West Bengal it is only one state in India.Most of people are relegious.Only they are supporting policically to Communist party.It means those who are supporing to communist party those are not belive in God?
If you have doubt please refer to your village where the Commmunist activist/followeres are not belive in God.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Reply to Tom,(No.32)
Cluster meeting is sponosred by communist party? Have you attent in cluster meeting ? Are you a school teacher? from where you got this information.It is very nice!!!
Before open your mouth please try to understand little about what you talking.
I am a school teacher and attent in cluster meeting.I am not activist of any political party.
Now in keral all government employees are working for Communist party? as per Tom. Yes!
Those who have doubt about cluster meeting they can approach any school teacher(who attent in said meeting) and who no connecting with any political party.they will tell you reality.
Do not read stupid people’s message !