From Sanjay Borkar 
For Daijiworld Media Network — Goa (CN)

Margao, June 6: The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has expressed its strong objection to the denigration of Gandhiji in the Std. X History and Civics textbook and has lodged a police complaint against this with IGP Kishan Kumar on Thursday, June 5.

The complaint was filed by a delegation headed by Jayesh Thali, Goa state co-ordinator of the HJS, and appeals for an immediate ban on the mentioned book. The complaint states that the book contains many objectionable portions including one that suggests Gandhiji encouraged casteism after his return from South Africa in 1915.

Yet another portion of the text states that Gandhiji decided to conduct a nationwide satyagraha for the Rowlett Act created by him in 1919. Further, it says, Gandhiji had to stop this agitation because of three reasons, viz. terrorism among the people and humiliating satyagrahis by asking them to bow down and rub their nose on the streets; to walk on the streets in a kneeling position; and to salute all the British officers.

The HJS, in association with parents, teachers, historians, and educationists has been agitating against these discrepancies in the book since March 2008. The organization has lodged a similar complaint with the Mapusa police.