The kind of profit the publishers of these books were making can be gauged from the fact that each book was priced at ₹450 and at least 1.5 lakh copies were sold. which amounts to sale of ₹6.75 crore.
GS DHILLON, Sikh historian
CHANDIGARH : The Sikh Vichar Manch comprising scholars and historians on Tuesday asked Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to order an inquiry into the “scandal” involving reference books for Classes 11 and 12 during the previous AkaliBJP government. The Manch members said despite dotted with glaring errors, the overpriced books were imposed on students for 10 years.
HT PHOTO■ (From left) Members of Sikh Vichaar Manch Gurpreet Singh, Gurtej Singh and GS Dhillon addressing the media in Chandigarh on Wednesday.
“If the CM is serious about the issue, he should immediately order an inquiry,” said Sikh historian GS Dhillon. Addressing the media, Dhillon, along with retired IAS officer Dr Gurtej Singh and Gurpreet Singh of Kendriya Singh Sabha, said the books taught then had shown Gurus in a bad light. “Why have they (Akalis) not raised their voice then,” said Dhillon.
Last week, Akali leaders launched a protest pointing out discrepancies in the content of books cleared by a group of eminent historians led by Dr Kirpal Singh in which Sikh Gurus were allegedly shown in a bad light. On Monday, Akali leaders led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal protested outside CM’s residence, seeking apology from Capt Amarinder, before courting arrest.
“The kind of profit the publishers of these books were making can be gauged from the fact that each book was priced at ₹450 and at least 1.5 lakh copies were sold, which amounts to sale of ₹6.75 crore. What they taught was crap and this needs to be investigated,” said Dhillon, adding that then education minister Daljit Singh Cheema should also be held responsible.
He suggested that a ban be imposed on all reference books in circulation and a book – Short history of Sikhs by Ganda Singh and Teja Singh — be included in the course. He, along with Dr Gurtej Singh, offered to write a new book for Class 11 and 12 within 10 days. Gurtej Singh and Dhillon said the Sikh history written by the contemporaries of Gurus who were opposed to them can’t be without bias, so taking those historical facts into account was not the correct way of dealing with the Sikh history.
Gurpreet Singh demanded that a case under Section 295A of the IPC (hurting religious sentiments) can be registered against the book publishers.
The experts demanded that two members of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee – Inderjit Singh Gogoani and BS Dhillon, who recused themselves of the high-level committee led by Kirpal Singh to write content for new books — should have explained what made them move out of the panel.