New texts will keep kids' minds healthy: Baraguru Ramachandrappa

Hitting the limelight is not new for Baraguru Ramachandrappa. The top-rated creative writer, in Kannada who is also a film maker, was in the news recently as head of the textbook review committee with his coming under critical scrutiny. While BJP legislators took serious objection to the way the textbook review committee has been functioning, others took to social media to pick holes in the work of the Ramachandrappa Committee. 

In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Ramachandrappa defended his committee's work and said it was 'nearing perfection'. Here are excerpts.

To begin with, what was the rationale you had while reviewing textbooks?
To tell you the facts, 27 committees were set up much before I took over as overall head. The then education minister, Kimmane Rathnakar persuaded me to take up this role. My mandate was to bring in proper co-ordination among these committees and give a new direction. 

To be specific, through the revised textbooks, what kind of children would you like to nurture-very rationalistic or children with a healthy mind?
I hope our revised textbooks, if taught effectively, will nurture children with a healthy mind.

But the wheel of education has several wheels within, like infrastructure, teaching methodology and teachers. How  will the revised textbooks solve the gripping problems and give a new direction to the education sector?
That’s why I told DSERT that it should get our experts (who reviewed the textbooks) to train teachers. They (DSERT) agreed. Yes, I agree, infrastructure is a very big issue. Sadly, we never discuss this issue as much as we discuss content or medium of instruction. The other issue I am worried about is the discrimination among government run schools. See the schools run by the social welfare and education department.

Then, the reviewed textbooks may not make an impact turning your exercise into a futile one.
It might happen. In the same breath, I will say, it will not go waste. If a teacher makes up his mind, anything can be done. There are good  teachers who can do wonders. I was told there are teachers forums in various districts. Teachers gather and discuss their subjects, new teaching methods or ideas. The government should utilise their potential and bring in change. 

The criticism is: textbooks were reviewed as secretly as scientists conducting a nuclear test. Why secrecy?
(laughs) It pains me if someone says so. I could stand anywhere and say confidently that we implemented a very transparent method. The Education minister acknowledged that my committees had held 41 meetings. I interacted with women organisations, teachers' organisations, public figures, subject experts. Actually, such a process should have been adopted by the textbook writing committees. We even constituted one layer over my committee to scrutinise the prepared texts. 

Many pointed out several mistakes like withdrawing Govina Haadu. Is it true?
These people had changed the original poem. Even before I took over, the original poem was brought back. We are not going to debate if the cow was good or the tiger but our focus is to retain the original folk song. A story of Saara Aboobakar was changed, we picked a new story by the same author. In a lesson, Yaksha Prashne, an issue of the cow came up. If the original text of Mahabharata has it, then I have no power to change it. I know canards were spread. But I do not want to reply because it would lead to more confusion. In principle, it is not Congressisation, or saffronisation or thrusting left-centric texts. If we can't keep a distance from all three ideologies, I feel we are ineligible to take up such work.

People in the department are saying it is too late to publish and then distribute..
This again is a cooked up view. There were instances in the past when books were sent for printing in February. By this month end, tender would be finalised. We had given the CDs of 138 books by December 28. We finished DTP work, proof reading, page design. We saved one month time for the department.

Moving on, in the last three and a half years, the Kannada cultural world has been unusually silent and has kept away from public issues. Only freedom fighter, H.S. Doreswamy raises his voice...
Our historical context has changed. Literary and cultural dialogue has changed  particularly after the demolition of Babri Masjid. Caste and communal aspects have forced intellectuals to toe a line. For instance the BJP government was considered  anti Muslim and intellectuals felt it should go. Even if a party which is liked the most comes to power, I should have the moral duty to criticise its wrongdoings. But I admit I never criticised them the way Mr Doreswamy did.

To be frank, intellectuals tried to give suggestions to Siddaramaiah but we saw no  change in the CM. On the contrary, all intellectuals ended up being ‘Siddaramaiahs’.
(Laughs) We intellectuals should maintain a healthy distance from the government. I agree that we are not criticising this government.  To that extent, intellectuals have erred. We (intellectuals) should provide alternate leadership (prati nayaks). 

The historical context divided us forcing intellectuals to side with the BJP or Congress. That’s why such a  situation arose. Dialogue in the cultural circuit has almost vanished. Apart from communalism, there are many issues which we should be worried about.  As individuals we failed because we failed to take a moral stand on issues.

Can we see some kind of renaissance in the cultural landscape?
Weak attempts are being made but a collective effort has not happened We have to forget and forgive small mistakes and unite for the sake of society. 
If 23 parties can come together to form a coalition government, why can't we unite for the sake of society?