News from Sanjay Borkar
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SP)

Panaji Apr 2:  The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti here has demanded for the withdrawal of the text book allegedly containing distorted historical facts, by holding a protest march in the city.

HJS along with office bearers of various like-minded organizations, school principals, teachers, parents, educationists, history lovers and students held a demonstration outside Sree Hanuman Temple (near Kadamba Bus Stand) to convey to the government, administration and the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBS& HSE) that the NCERT’s textbook which allegedly has accorded secondary status to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, shall not be adopted as a text book and should be withdrawn with immediate effect.

The furious agitators conducted a funeral procession of an effigy  of the NCERT and its controversial history text book pertaining to standard VII from the Kadamba Bus stand here, up to  Mandovi River and later immersed the same in  Mandovi River. Representatives and office bearers of various organizations took part  in this agitational programme. 

The demonstration commenced with the paying of obeisance to Lord Hanuman and was conducted outside Sree Hanuman temple. On this occasion, Sadashiv Dhond of the Dharmashakti Sena explained about HJS’ objective behind organizing the agitation.  Capt (Retd) Dattaram Sawant of Divya Jagruti Trust,  Shivprasad Joshi of Hindu Mahasabha, parents of students Shubha Sawant and Jayashree Gadekar, headmaster  Umesh Naik, Students  Shounak Marathe and  Mohit Thali,  Shubham Parab and  Pooja Kadam, Ramesh Naik of Marathi Rajyabhasha Prasthapan Samiti, Sanatan Sanstha’s  Ghanashyam Gawde, HJS activist  Jayesh Thali  etc., expressed their views about the treatment meted out to Chatrapati Shivaji in the text book. Slogans such as ‘Stop the Islamization of textbooks’, ‘Har Har Mahadev’ were raised.

The agitators held placards containing related messages written on them. Agitators were infuriated because of the callous indifference of the government, administration and the GBS & HSE towards setting right the absurdities contained in the said controversial text book. They prepared a funeral pyre and placed an effigy of the NCERT and its controversial history text on it. At this time, slogans such as ‘Down with NCERT!’, ‘NCERT is fake!’ etc., rent the air. When the agitators reached the middle of Mandovi Bridge, NCERT’s effigy was thrown into the river, thereby immersing it. Later, the agitators turned towards Sree Hanuman temple and offered prayers to the deity.

HJS leader Jayesh Thali appealed to all present, to actively participate in the forthcoming Voters Awareness Campaign.

Finally, the sentiments of the crowd was echoed by a few speakers who  gave a warning to the government that if it has respect for the sentiments of Hindus, it should declare its stand with regard to the said controversial textbook immediately.