Saffronisation of Education in Indian occupied Kashmir
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

SRINAGAR: It is an established fact that Islam is the second largest religion in the world and Muslims exist all over the world.

In fact Islam is also the second largest religion in India as well, but strangely for the Indian authors, who write and edit schoolbooks, Muslims don't exist and Islam is not a religion.

The authors, Alka Haleja of Holy Trinity School, Allahabad and Anusa Baerjee, MA. BEd have written the class VI book on Social Sciences.

The book is based on the NCERT syllabus (2002) and is being used in schools in every part of India.

Since the book is based on NCERT syllabus, majority of schools in occupied Kashmir as well have prescribed the books and the teachers impart moral science education to the students from this book entitled, "Focus on Social Sciences".

The book gives in-depth details of the history and geography of the world especially relating to India.

However, in Chapter No 22 titled "MAJOR RELIGIONS", the authors, who seem to be close to right wing ideology, show their 'rue colours and refrain from using the word MUSLIMS and ISLAM in the entire chapter.

The authors give details of seven religions in the chapter but have 'forgotten' that Muslims too exist in India and Islam is the second largest religion of world and India as well.

It is very strange that the teachers who have been teaching this lesson to the students have not raised their voice to press the Education department to take up the matter with the Indian government or NCERT officials.

"Islam is the second largest religion in the world. It (Islam) is also the second largest religion in India as well and there can be no denying this fact", said a schoolteacher, Aijaz Ahmad.

If the authors had been sincere they would have also written about Islam in this chapter of Class VI but surprisingly they have not mentioned that ISLAM also exists and Muslims live across the globe", he said adding, "this shows the mentality of the writers and servility of the puppet regime of occupied Kashmir, who has allowed such a book to be taught in schools of Indian held Kashmir."●