Deendayal comic strip in UP schools, Haryana univs to teach Golwalkar & Savarkar

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is now planning to include books on the life and times of RSS ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya from I to VIII.

This will be in the form of comic books depicting his life. In fact according to sources in the UP government education department, the books will be distributed in all the BJP-run states to be read by all students.

A source in the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation in New Delhi said, “The books are being published by the Deendayal Upadhyaya Sewa Pratishthan (a branch of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh). Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation is the parent organisation of the Deendayal Upadhyaya Sewa Pratishthan. The source said, “The book will be printed in 14 languages. The philosophy of Deendayal Upadhyaya should be taught in schools. His philosophy would have taken India to greater heights if it had been adopted after Independence. It would have also strengthened our cultural roots”.

The Opposition is criticising the move. “This move is absurd. It is shameless propaganda. The BJP-RSS ideology is being forced down the throats of students all over the country. What sense does teaching Mahabharata or vedas to business administration students mean? Not only that they are making yoga compulsory in schools and colleges, there are examples of how these people are even making changes in our history books to glorify Hindu personalities. It is shameful," said Congress leader PL Punia.

DEENDAYAL UPADHYAYA OFFICIAL LOGO IN RAJASTHAN

While this initiative is being introduced in UP, in Rajasthan his picture in logo form will now be placed on the letter heads and official correspondence of all heads of local bodies and boards. 

“Rajasthan BJP has asked its elected representatives to use a logo featuring a photograph of RSS icon Deendayal Upadhyaya on their letterheads for all official correspondence,” BJP national joint secretary and state incharge V Satish told to Catch.

He added, “The elected representatives have been given a format and the logo that they have been instructed to print out on letterheads in the next few days.”

Rajasthan Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma criticised the move and called it a ‘blatant misuse of power'. “The heads of local bodies are representatives of the state government and not that of the BJP. By asking them to include a logo of Deendayal Upadhyaya on their letterheads, the BJP is trying to promote a person who has not made any significant contribution to the nation. It is a blatant misuse of power to push forward their ideology,” she said.

RSS IDEOLOGIES TAUGHT IN HARYANA UNIVERSITY

Moreover, the central university of Haryana has also announced that teachings of Hindutva ideologues Deendayal Upadhyaya, MS Golwalkar and VD Savarkar will be included in the curriculum of the post-graduate course of political science. In a statement, the university said, “The decision has been taken to inculcate the best virtues of high morality, ethical standards and nationalism among its students”.

Vice-Chancellor RC Kuhad told Catch, "Political science students must understand the subject matter from the lenses of eminent political thinkers like Deendayal Upadhyaya, MS Golwarkar and VD Savarkar. Different perspectives are key in understanding a subject matter thoroughly”.

The move drew criticism from political parties in the state. Haryana Congress President Ashok Tanwar said, “It is terrible that BJP state governments are strong-arming universities to make changes in curriculum to promote the regressive and unsecular ideologies of the RSS and BJP. I think there should be a national body that overlooks the changes in the syllabus in schools in colleges. This should not be the state government’s prerogative. As of now, changes are being made by the state government in schools and in universities changes are being made at the university level. This should not be allowed to happen”.