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Public libraries in Rajasthan will now have books on Lord Parshuram and a chapter on the Hindu Deity will be included in the moral science text books in government schools.

Education Minister Vasudev Devnani announced it after a delegation from Vipra Foundation met him on the occasion of Parshuram Jayanti.

The announcement by the Minister came as a bid to pacify the Brahmin community, who had burnt his effigies in Ajmer town, reminding him of his promise to include Lord Parshuram in school text books.

Devnani told media, "We have decided to include a chapter on the diety in moral science books and now biography books on Lord Parshuram will be made available in all public libraries. Apart from this we will include stories of Veer-Veerangana (brave men and women) of Rajasthan from the next academic session." The Minister confirmed that the books will be financed from the his own discretionary fund.

Devnani further said, "Parashuram is the symbol of pride of Brahmin community and a deity or god. His life story will help students to learn values and culture."

Congress president Sachin Pilot told DH, ’This is not for the first time the ruling party has tried to saffronise the course books. But this time it seems that the minister is trying to please Brahmin community with pretext of including a chapter on Brahmin Deity in the books.’ DH file photo

Minister’s attempts to please Brahmin Community

The announcement came weeks after Devnani had allegedly hurt the sentiments of Brahmin community by questioning their use of suffix Pandit with their names.

Earlier Rajasthan high court served notices to Devnani in response to a petition challenging his use of the title professor without the requisite qualifications. However Devnani responded by stating a logic, "Brahmins also use Pandit title without qualification".

However the opposition Congress has accused the minister of saffronising the school curriculum in schools. Congress president Sachin Pilot told DH, "This is not for the first time the ruling party has tried to saffronise the course books. But this time it seems that the minister is trying to please Brahmin community with pretext of including a chapter on Brahmin Deity in the books."

Previous Instances

Earlier also the BJP government in Rajasthan had directed all secondary and senior secondary schools to buy a 15 volume set of books which include letters, journals, collection of writings and speeches of Late Deendayal Upadhyaya, the RSS pracharak thinker and charismatic leader of Bharatiya Jan Sangh.

The order by Jan Sangh’s offshoot Bharatyiya Janata Party ruled state has run into troubled waters as the volume costs Rupees 6000 which is four times more than the annual budget sanctioned for a school to buy books. Also, the opposition party has criticized the decision by calling it a multi-crore scam and yet another effort to saffronise the education in state.