NCERT was forced to replace India with Bharat in books, says Congress leader DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre over reports of a National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) panel accepting the proposal to replace the word India with 'Bharat' in its textbooks.

He said that the organisation was "forced" by the government to arrive at this decision.

"I think something wrong has happened to this government. Why are they confusing the minds of Indians? The stand they have taken is completely anti-people, anti-India, and anti-Bharat. NCERT has been forced by the NDA government," Shivakumar said.

However, NCERT has not confirmed the decision yet. The panel said it is "too premature" to comment on the news. Besides, the proposal has only been accepted, one of the panels, part of the total of



25, that look into modifications and changes in the content of NCERT books.

Shivakumar called the decision "wrong" and said that Karnataka would continue with the already existing content.

"Why are we saying the Reserve Bank of India, Indian Administrative Service and Indian Foreign Service? In our passports, we have the Republic of India. This is completely wrong. You can't change the history of India," he said, criticising the possible decision to replace India with Bharat in textbooks.

IC Issac, the panel's chairman that accepted the proposal, said earlier today that the next set of books by NCERT will have the name 'Bharat' instead of India.

However, the proposal has been recommended to NCERT in Delhi and a final decision on the matter is awaited.