Explained: The latest controversy in Karnataka over chapter on Lingayat saint Basavanna

The BJP government in Karnataka has again found itself mired in another controversy involving school textbooks as seers of the Veerashaiva-Linagayat community have claimed erroneous information about 12th century social reformer Basavanna was imprinted in the books and demanded the state government to correct it. Earlier, the state school curriculum became a topic of heated debate as the Congress and other opposition parties called it “saffronisation” of education. The earlier controversy involved revision of textbooks and alleged disrespect to ‘Rashtrakavi’ Kuvempu, now Lingayat seers and leaders have raised objections to ‘wrong and twisted’ information on Basavanna in Class 9 social science textbook. Let’s take a look: Who was Basavanna? Basavanna, or Basaveshwara, was a 12th century poet, philosopher, Lingayat saint and social reformer. During his lifetime, Basavanna spread messages of social harmony through his poetry, which is popularly known as vachanas. He rejected gender and caste discrimination, superstitions and rituals. A strong promoter of ahimsa (non-violence), he condemned human and animal sacrifices. Basavanna is believed to be the founder of the Lingayat community, while some scholars have also believed that he was the poet philosopher who revived and energised an already existing tradition. The Basava Purana, written by Palkuriki Somanatha in the 13th-century, holds full account to Basavanna’s life and ideas. What is the textbook controversy? Lingayat leaders and seers have argued that the lessons on Basavanna in school textbooks have been revised indiscriminately and wrong information has been inserted. According to The Hindu, Sri Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swami of Sanehalli has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai demanding immediate withdrawal of the revised lesson. “If no action is taken immediately, launching an agitation across Karnataka will be inevitable,” he has warned in his letter written on 31 May. He said that the lesson in class 9 textbook has been revised by taking out a few lines and inserting new lines that twist facts. “This is nothing but disgracing the pure and transparent life of Basavanna. It is an utter lie that vachanakaras reformed the Veerashaiva sect. It should have been ‘he propounded Lingayat religion’. There are several such mistakes in the revised textbook,” he has said, as quoted by The Hindu. According to Basavaraj Dhannur, president of Rashtriya Basava Dal in Bidar, the textbook depicts Basavanna as getting ‘Linga Deekshe’, which is wrong information since he established the Lingayat religion. “The concept of ishtalinga was given by Basavanna. Before him, the concept was non-existent. He did not get ‘Linga Deekshe’ from anyone. Instead, he established the Lingayat religion. But the textbook mentions that Basavanna reformed the Veerashaiva sect, which is totally wrong,” he has said as per The Hindu report. Earlier controversy involving school textbook Earlier, it was alleged that some lessons in the textbooks of Class VI and VIII in Karnataka schools were hurting sentiments of the Brahmin community. This led to the state government, headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, to form a revise committee, which would take a look at all textbooks from Classes I to X. The government then appointed noted right-wing writer Rohit Chakrathirtha to head the 15-member committee. As per a report in The Hindu, the revision committee then submitted its report to the government in March and as per the report, Social Science textbooks of Classes VI to X in all mediums, Classes I to X Kannada first language (except Class III) textbooks, Kannada second language textbooks of Classes VI, VIII, and IX, and third language textbooks of all mediums of Classes VII, VIII, and IX were revised. Reports said that chapters on revolutionary and freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan, Lingayat social reformer Basavanna, Dravidian movement pioneer Periyar and reformer Narayana Guru were allegedly removed from the syllabus or severely curtailed with. Facts on Kannada poet Kuvempu were also allegedly distorted. News agency PTI also reported that a speech by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was added to the Class X language textbook. Several Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and senior member DK Shivakumar have spoken out against the revisions. “Let the BJP use Hedgewar, (RSS ideologue) Golwalkar and (Gandhi’s assassin) Nathuram Godse in their political rallies and to ask for votes… But politicising education for selfish reasons will hold no good,” Siddaramaiah has been quoted as saying. Noted Kannada writers and thinker Devanuru Mahadeva and scholar G Ramakrishna also revoked permission of their work being printed in the textbooks, as a form of protest. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.