Exit Premchand, enter BJP leader in Class 12 textbooks

Exit Premchand, enter BJP leader in Class 12 textbooks

By Sanket Upadhyay, Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) Legendary Hindi writer Munshi Premchand has been
banished from the Hindi course curriculum of Class 12 and replaced by
Mridula Sinha, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and novelist.

Excerpts from Premchand's celebrated novel 'Nirmala' have been replaced by
Sinha's "Jyon Mehndi Ko Rang". Sinha, a former president of BJP's Mahila
Morcha (Women Front), is presently president of the Central Social Welfare
Board.

Scholars are aghast and calling the move politically motivated and brazen.

"I consider the removal of Premchand from school curriculum a criminal act,"
thundered Asghar Wajahat, a novelist and professor at the Jamia Millia
Islamia university here.

"Premchand is the epitome of Indian literature world over and his
contribution is unparalleled.

"Premchand has already been removed from courses at graduation and post
graduation level. And his removal at the school level should be considered a
national tragedy." added Wajahat.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Director G. Balasubramanian
justified the decision: "Changing of course curriculum is a common practice.
Premchand was being taught for 15 years in Class 12 and the syllabus needed
revision.

"The change in the curriculum is done after a decision made by a panel.
Whatever the panel finalises is taught."

The argument did not cut ice with noted Hindi writer Ashok Vajpeyi: "I can
understand that students might have got bored studying Premchand, and I can
also understand that the course needed to be revised.

"But what comes as a big insult to Hindi literature is that Premchand is
being replaced by an ordinary writer."

He added that if Premchand had to be replaced, well-known Hindi writers like
Jainendra Kumar, Bhishma Sahni, Krishna Sobti and Vishnu Prabhakar could
have been better options.

He said the inclusion of Mridula Sinha's novel could convey an impression
that she was the in Hindi literature and good enough to take the place of
Premchand.

Wajahat argued passionately to retain Premchand.

"By reading his masterpieces one can understand the ethos and problems of
the Indian society. I feel this is an attempt to drift the attention of
people from the problems of the society to less concrete issues," remarked
Wajahat.

Mridula Sinha said she herself respects and reads the works of Premchand.

She asked: "Why are people dragging me into this? I have just written a
novel. Some people are making films on it, some are enacting plays. What is
my fault if CBSE decided to include my novel? I wasn't a part of the
selection committee."

Political analyst N. Bhaskar Rao told IANS: "It is clearly a political
decision and not an academic one. The ruling party has made an attempt to
tamper with the educational system."

--Indo-Asian News Service