New Delhi: A controversy has emerged surrounding a lesson in the Class 3 NCERT textbook, with Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, the peethadhishwar and narrator of Bageshwar Dham, drawing connections to the concept of ‘love jihad.’ He has described the situation as a “new angle of love jihad,” igniting a heated debate on social media and other platforms.
Shastri questioned the decision to have a Hindu girl write a letter to a Muslim boy, asking, “Why isn’t a Hindu girl encouraged to write to another Hindu girl? Couldn’t she write a letter to a Hindu?” He expressed concern over what he perceives as an attempt to instil inappropriate ideas in young children.
The letter in question appears in Chapter 17 of the Class 3 environmental studies textbook and features a postcard that reads: “Ahmed, tell me how you are? All of us friends miss you. I hope you come to Agartala during the holidays. Kudos to all the elders, your Reena.” Shastri criticized this content during a public address, suggesting that it promotes harmful thoughts in innocent minds and questioning the choice of names used in the letter. “Why not names like Avinash, Adarsh, or Akash instead of Ahmed?” he asked, implying a motive behind the material presented in the textbook.
The controversy has gained traction following a complaint from a parent in Madhya Pradesh, who has labelled the lesson as promoting love jihad. The father, a professional doctor based in Khajuraho, has reached out to the NCERT’s secretary and deputy secretary, calling the content a conspiracy and demanding accountability from those responsible for the inclusion of such material.
This incident has intensified ongoing discussions about communalism in education and the literature presented to young students, with Shastri’s remarks further igniting the debate.
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