Following the Supreme Court’s ire, the NCERT is ascertaining the textbook development process which led to the inclusion of a chapter on “judicial corruption.”
The Council is also identifying the individuals responsible for incorporating the contentious material.
“The NCERT is ascertaining the process of making textbooks which has led to this error of judgement and also identify the persons responsible for the same. This would also ensure that this kind of inappropriateness is completely avoided in future. This shall be done with utmost strictness,” PTI quoted sources as saying.
Several reports also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure at the NCERT textbook row. An NDTV report quoted the prime minister as saying: “Kaun dekh raha hai ye sab?”
Also Read | ‘Accountability will be fixed, action taken’: Education Minister’s first response on NCERT textbook row
Education Minister on NCERT row
Earlier in the day, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed anguish over the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) introducing a chapter on judicial corruption in its Class 8 textbook. He also promised to fix accountability and take action against those involved in drafting the controversial portion.
His remarks came on a day when the Supreme Court observed that there appeared to be a “well-orchestrated conspiracy” to defame the judiciary. The court imposed a “complete blanket ban” on the Class 8 NCERT book and ordered that all copies, both physical and digital, be seized.
The education ministry has written to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) to stop dissemination of the controversial textbook via digital platforms, according to PTI.
A day after taking suo motu cognisance of the portions in the social science textbook, the Supreme Court on Thursday said it expects the Centre to fix accountability.
“We expect the government to issue takedown orders. The State will have to take that responsibility,” the court said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, during the hearing, submitted that the two individuals involved in preparing the chapter would no longer be associated with the ministry. However, the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant termed this as “very light action.”
“They have fired the gunshot and the judiciary is bleeding today. The judges say their morale is down and people are talking about it,” the court noted.
The bench emphasised that the issue would not remain confined to students, observing that the content would also reach teachers and parents.
“It is a deep-rooted conspiracy to malign the judiciary,” the Supreme Court said.
‘Heads must roll’: Supreme Court seeks deeper probe
The apex court has sought a deeper probe into the publication of the textbook, noting that it prominently refers to complaints against judges and suggests inaction.
However, the bench observed that the text fails to adequately highlight the judiciary’s role in preserving constitutional morality, the basic structure doctrine, legal aid, and access to justice.
“We need to find who is responsible and we will see who are there,” CJI Surya Kant said.
“As the head of the institution, I must find out who the persons who are responsible behind it. Heads must roll, I am not going to close these proceedings,” the CJI said.
What happened?
The NCERT’s Social Science textbook for Class 8 stated that corruption, a massive backlog of cases, and the lack of an adequate number of judges are among the challenges faced by the judicial system.
Following stern observations by the Supreme Court that it would not allow “anyone on earth” to tarnish the judiciary’s integrity, the NCERT pulled the textbook from its website. Sources said the government was livid over the controversial references.
The NCERT on Wednesday apologised for “inappropriate content” after facing the Supreme Court’s ire over the chapter and said the book would be rewritten in consultation with appropriate authorities.
