Pune: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has raised objections over certain references made in the Class IX history textbook and demanded their immediate removal. A delegation of Congress leaders handed over a memorandum to Education Director Vipin Sharma on Monday. 

According to MPCC, the book linked the name of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi with the Bofors scandal and stated that Gandhi had to face a lot of criticism for his involvement in the scam. The reference was made despite the Supreme Court of India having acquitted Rajiv Gandhi in the case but the book did not mention about this in the chapter. “The reference was made just to target the Congress and teach distorted history to the future generations of the nation,” MPCC Secretary Sanjay Balgude told Sakal Times. 

While mentioning the history of the period post-1991, the book stated that the Babri Masjid issue came to fore post-1991 but the book did not deliberately mention who demolished the mosque and which BJP leaders are facing the trial. 

Balgude also said that no mention is made in the book of former prime minister Manmohan Singh about his contribution in the field of economics and there is also no mentioning him as the promoter of an open economy in the country. 

“Moreover, a Class VI book mentioned that the mosques created noise pollution due to the loudspeakers installed on the mosque which creates hatred in the minds of two communities,” he said. 

The State Congress demanded that the references made in the history books should be removed soon or else, it will organise an agitation. 

“Taking note of the Congress memorandum, Education Director Vipin Sharma asked the Balbharati to carry out an inquiry and take necessary action,” Balgude added.