Will rectify errors in history book, says expert panel
Members reject allegations of foul play on their part as malicious; say govt wanted them to finish book in a haste which led to errors
The committee of experts that has prepared the Punjab School Education Board’s Class 12 history textbook conceded on Thursday that there are errors in the content, a day after panel head Prof Kirpal Singh rejected claims of any discrepancy. The government wanted them to finish writing the textbook in a haste which led to errors.
The committee of experts that has prepared the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB)’s Class 12 history textbook conceded on Thursday that there are errors in the content, a day after panel head Prof Kirpal Singh rejected the claims of any discrepancy.
The government wanted them to finish writing the textbook in a haste which led to errors, the panel members said.
The development came in the wake of the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) sitting on a dharna in Amritsar on Thursday over the issue, demanding apology from the state government and arrest of those who prepared and distributed the new textbook.
The party claims there are inappropriate remarks in the book about Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Hargobind, Guru Tegh Bahadur and 10th master Guru Gobind Singh. The controversy had erupted after alleged mistakes cropped up in some chapters uploaded on the state education department’s website.
The chapters have been removed since.
“Writing of a book takes place in several stages. Some mistakes have cropped at some stage. We will rectify these,” said panel member Prithipal Singh Kapur at a press conference at the PSEB head office in Mohali.
Four of the six members, including Prof Kirpal Singh, attended the conference to clarify their stance over the issue, with two representative members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) staying away.
Prof Kirpal Singh said he has worked with the Akalis for 20 years and edited several volumes of Shri Gurpartap Surya Granth but never did a single error occur. “I have full respect for religion. We referred to contemporary sources while writing the book,” he said.
The visibly upset panel members, however, rejected the allegations of a foul play. “Our effort to use contemporary material stands undermined due to the controversy,” added Kapur.
The state government has recalled the book and we have ample time to rework on it to everyone’s satisfaction.
“How can we undermine Sikh history with which we have had a lifelong association? A negative campaign has been unleashed against us. We are being made to face public wrath for no fault of ours,” said a Prof JS Grewal, another member.
In response to SAD’s claim that word ‘shaheed’ was missing from the chapter on the martyrdom of fifth Sikh master Guru Arjan Dev, Grewal said, “The word is exploited to flare up emotions. A book is completed in stages. The error may have occurred at some point.” ‘IT’S CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE, DISSOLVE PANEL’ SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema asked as how the panel members could hold a press conference when the CM has asked them to withdraw the book.
“The government must fix responsibility and dissolve the panel as it’s a case of criminal negligence. Two representative members of SGPC have pulled out of the panel in protest.”