The 2002 Gujarat riots, one of the worst instances of communal violence since Independence will now not be referred to as ‘anti-Muslim riots’ in NCERT textbooks.
According to a report in The Hindustan Times, the decision was taken at a review meeting where representatives of the CBSE and the NCERT were present. The change is to be made in a 2007 class 12 textbook which was published during the UPA’s tenure.
Official estimates say that close to 800 Muslims and nearly 250 Hindus were killed during the spate of violence between February and March 2002. The offensive against the minorities were launched after rumours that they had been responsible for the death of 57 Hindu pilgrims due to a fire in a train compartment at Godhra station.
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The move could rile up the minority Muslims who were mostly on the receiving end of the violence and it also continues a trend of trying to saffronise textbooks, instances of which have been seen in Gujarat, Mahrashtra and Haryana.
“Points raised by CBSE have already been taken up by NCERT. Changes will be made and it will be reflected once the book is reprinted by the end of the year,” a senior NCERT official told the newspaper.
“In February-March 2002, large-scale violence against Muslims took place in Gujarat …. A bogey of a train that was returning from Ayodhya and was full of karsevaks was set on fire... Suspecting the hands of Muslims in setting fire to the bogey, large-scale violence against Muslims began in many parts of Gujarat...,” a passage titled ‘Anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat,’ reportedly reads.
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The chapter also mentions the National Human Rights Commission criticizing the Gujarat government for failing to curb the violence and provide relief to its victims. PM Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time.
Sources told the newspaper that a decision was taken to only change the sub-title of the passage.
