Take steps within 6 weeks: HC directs NCERT

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to take steps to withdraw within 6 weeks the objectionable statement about Sree Narayana Guru in the history textbook for standard VIII CBSE students.

The HC directive came after a petition filed by advocate Jaju Babu, a member of Kochi Sree Narayana Club. He had submitted that the textbook published by the NCERT, contains an incorrect and irresponsible statement about Sree Narayana Guru.

“In the reference made in the book under the title ‘Demands for equality and justice’ with the photograph of Sree Narayana Guru, it is stated that, “a Guru from the low caste Ezhava, Sree Narayana Guru, proclaimed the ideals of unity of all people within one sect, a single caste and one guru.

 The section distorts the entire nobility of his personality,” the petitioner said. “It was shocking to note that Sree Narayana Guru who gave the message ‘one caste, one religion and one God for mankind’ is depicted as a person who proclaimed the ideals of unity of people within a sect,” the petitioner said.