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The Supreme Court imposed a complete ban on the NCERT Class 8 textbook containing a chapter on “corruption” in the judiciary. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret and assured an investigation and fixing responsibility.
Dharmendra Pradhan expresses regret (Image Source: Internet)
New Delhi: Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his regret today over the inclusion of a controversial chapter on judiciary in schoolbooks, saying he holds the judiciary in "highest regard" and has taken action on the matter. The apex court court has ordered the confiscation of all physical and digital copies of the book.
Pradhan assured that the matter will be investigated, responsibility will be fixed, and action will be taken against those who drafted the controversial chapter.
Pradhan also stated that as soon as the government became aware of the chapter, the distribution of the textbooks was immediately stopped. He stated that the government will fully comply with the Supreme Court's directives.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, taking the matter seriously, stated that there appears to be a well-planned conspiracy to defame the judiciary. The court made strong remarks, stating that no one can undermine the dignity of the judiciary.
The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, issued show-cause notices to the Director of NCERT and the Secretary of the School Education Department, asking them to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.
The controversial chapter mentioned challenges facing the judiciary, including corruption, a heavy backlog of cases, and a shortage of judges. Following the Supreme Court's strong comments, NCERT apologized, calling the content "inappropriate," and stated that it would be rewritten in consultation with the relevant authorities.
Following the Supreme Court's reprimand, NCERT has removed the book from its website. According to sources, the government is also very upset with this controversial content. All eyes are now on the investigation process and possible action.
