New Delhi: History textbooks taught across schools in Pakistan in Classes VIII and IX are full of anti-India and anti-Hindu content. Here’s what News18 found upon accessing the textbooks published by the National Book Foundation (Federal Textbook Board, Islamabad).
The chapter on the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC) during the British era in the Class VIII history book reads, “Many Indians joined hands to demand for India’s nationalism, purely Hindu in religion. Indian National Congress (INC), therefore, became more a Hindu political party than a voice of the whole India.”
The book introduces Mahatma Gandhi, who led India’s fight for freedom from British rule, as just a “Hindu leader”. The textbook goes on to accuse him of “disregard of Muslims”.
“Gandhi and his young supporters took charge of the Congress and approach of Hindu as a majority and disregard to Muslim rights created hatred, jealousy and narrow-mindedness,” the school book reads. There are recurring direct and indirect references to Gandhi as well as the INC throughout the various sections of the textbooks. This is in stark contrast to Indian school textbooks, which are neutral in talking about Pakistan or its leaders, according to the News18 report.
At another point, it again makes the same statement about Muslims not being able to trust Hindus. “However, the Muslims had learned an important lesson that they could neither trust Hindus nor British…The Khilafat movement in this respect brought in the concept of nationhood for the Muslims of India,” it says.
The partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911 (which was earlier divided into two provinces with East Bengal and Assam having an overwhelming majority of Muslims). “The annulment came as a setback to Muslims; however, it gave them a lesson. The Muslims came to realise that they could trust neither the Hindus, nor the British for the protection of their rights…The Congress claimed to be a national party, but on the question of partition, it behaved like a sectarian Hindu organisation,” it says.
Every other chapter that talks about the birth of Pakistan refers to Muslims, who were very much part of India during British rule, as a separate entity from the Hindus. There is an emphasis on the fact that “Muslims of India” always wanted to be separated as a “Muslim nation” and never does the book mention them as part of the one country that together fought for its independence. Even their participation in the fight against the British is repeatedly labelled as “Muslim nationalism”.
Even in the question-and-answer section, the book asks students to “Discuss the role played by all the leaders mentioned in the chapter to support the cause of Muslim Nationalism in India”.
At every other point, it stresses on how Muslims were oppressed at the hands of the “Hindu majority”.
The Class IX chapter on “Elections of provincial assemblies under Govt of India Act 1935″ goes on to say, “The Congress ruled badly. The period was marked with political corruption and high-handedness of the party over the government. These governments introduced schemes like Vidya Mandir and Gandhiji’s Wardha. These schemes were not acceptable to the Muslims. The Congress government took steps to replace Urdu with Hindi and tried to introduce ‘Bande Matram’ as the official anthem. This song had an anti-Muslim background and provoked hatred against the Muslims.”
JS Rajput, former director, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), told News 18 that India has had an age-old tradition of respect for all religions, which is reflected in its textbooks. “Basically, it is what we call ‘Sanatan Dharma’. I have visited Pakistan several times and am aware of its textbook content. Their approach is one of teaching hatred for other religions. The whole climate is anti-India,” said Rajput.
