By IANS,
Kozhikode : A coordination committee of various Muslim organisations in Kerala Wednesday decided to go ahead with the plan to launch an agitation for the withdrawal of a controversial class VII social studies textbook.
P.K. Kunhalikutty, state general secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), said the government decision Wednesday to constitute an 18-member expert team to study the controversial textbook and the school curriculum reforms in the state will not deter them from the agitation.
The organisations are opposing the textbook, alleging that it is anti-religious and distorts history favouring the communists. The book was introduced by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government this academic year.
“Since a committee has been formed to study the textbook, the government should stop teaching the controversial portions till the committee comes out with its report,” said Kunhalikutty.
He said the Muslim organisations will hold a rally here July 5 and formally declare the agitation programme.
Kunhalikutty said the Muslim organisations are holding talks with Christian leadership at various levels to launch a joint agitation against the government over the issue.
The opposition Congress party, which led a series of agitations demanding the withdrawal of the textbook, expressed its doubts over the credibility of the expert team.
Party state president Ramesh Chennithala alleged in Thiruvananthapuram that the government decision to make historian K.N. Panikkar, a Marxist, the chairman of the team is mala fide.