Author: Dr Farrukh Saleem
Publication: Mid-Day
Date: December 23, 2003
URL: http://web.mid-day.com/news/world/2003/december/72045.htm
Islamabad: Punjab Textbook Board
in concert with the Curriculum Wing of the Ministry of Education has somehow
become the principal source of what can only be termed as 'hate literature'.
Our textbooks disseminate a whole array of 'half-truths' and propagate
Taliban-like values. This is a brief survey of the hate literature that
our children are being taught and the half- truths that are being taught
at our elementary and secondary schools.
India, the enemy
Page 100 of Social Studies for Class
VI states: "The foundation of the Hindu setup was based on injustice and
cruelty." Going back a class, and students are being taught that "India
is our traditional enemy and we should always keep ourselves ready to defend
our beloved country from Indian aggression" (page 123, Social Studies,
Class V). On the same page there is the claim that "When India was defeated
in the war of 1965, she excited the Muslims of East Pakistan against the
Muslims of West Pakistan."
Social Studies for Class VII states
that "Some Jewish tribes also lived in Arabia. They lent money to workers
and peasants on high rates of interest and usurped their earnings. They
held the whole society in their tight grip because of the ever-increasing
compound interest (page 13).
On page 25, children are told that
"History has no parallel to the extremely kind treatment of the Christians
by the Muslims. Still the Christian kingdoms of Europe were constantly
trying to gain control of Jerusalem. This was the cause of the Crusades".
On page 26, children learn that "All Christian countries united against
the Muslims and sent large armies to attack the holy city of Jerusalem".
Page 43 of Social Studies for Class
VII states that "European nations have been working during the past three
centuries, through conspiracies on naked aggression to subjugate the countries
of the Muslim world" adding that "During the Crusades, the Christians came
in contact with the Muslims and learnt that the Muslim culture was far
superior to their own".
Partition
In Class IV, 9-year-old Pakistanis
are told that "Sikhs destroyed the Muslim towns from the river Sutlej to
the river Jamna. Sikhs turned the mosques into their Gurudwaras, demolished
the shrines of the Muslim saints and burnt the religious schools and the
libraries.
Ranjit Singh demolished a number
of mosques and shrines in Lahore. The Hindus also turned against the Muslims
during the Sikh rule (page 81, Social Studies for Class IV)". Then there
is the claim that "The Muslims of Pakistan provided all the facilities
to the Hindus and the Sikhs who left for India. But the Hindus and the
Sikhs looted the Muslims in India with both hands and they attacked their
caravans, buses and railway trains. Therefore about one million Muslims
were martyred on their way to Pakistan (page 83, Social Studies, Class
IV)".
Class IV students are also told
that "India is a neighbour of Pakistan. Both the countries ought to have
good mutual relations but Bharat always maltreated Pakistan".
Under 'The Impact of Islam in South
Asia', Social Studies for Class VI states: "Before the Arab conquest the
people were fed up with the teachings of Buddhists and Hindus. The main
cause was the benign treatment of Muslims with the Hindus.
Due to this attitude Hindus began
to love Muslims and they became nearer and nearer to Muslims (page 97,
Social Studies Class VI)". Under 'Influence of Islam on Social Life' the
same book says that, "The caste system of the Hindus had made the life
of the common man miserable and as such they were fed up with this system
(page 100, Social Studies, Class VI)".
Eleven-year-old Pakistani students
are taught that, "The people of India fell prey to starvation and poverty.
Poverty, unemployment and ill treatment by the British rulers compelled
the people to be rebellious. The people had become too poor during the
reign of the East India Company. The people had already developed immense
hatred for the British (page 121, Social Studies, Class VI)".
The British
Social Studies for Class VI also
alleges that "The British changed the curriculum of Madarasas and they
had their full say in Education also they could change the syllabi according
to their minds. The teaching of Hadith and Fiqa was stopped all together
(page123, Social Studies Class VI)."
Pakistan Studies for Class IX-X
is approved by the Federal Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan
and authored by Dr Hassan Askri Rizvi, Javed Iqbal, Ghulam Abid Khan and
Qamer Abbas.
Fifteen to sixteen year olds are
told that "The Muslims promoted equality and social justice as against
the division on the basis of (Hindu) caste system (page 19, Pakistan Studies
Class IX-X)".
The same students are told that
"In connivance with the Government the Hindus started communal riots and
caused loss of life and property. At the time of prayers the Hindus tortured
the Muslims by playing bands in front of the mosques. Before the commencement
of classes the students saluted the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and Muslim
students were also forced to do so (page 37-38, Pakistan Studies, Class
IX-X)".
The Hindus
Page 63 of Social Studies for Class
VI has three paragraphs. First, "The Hindu children wear dhoti and kurta
while the Muslim children wear shalwar, pajama and kamiz. The Bharati children
also like trousers and coat." Second, "Hindu children like to eat vegetables
and pulses while the favourite food of the Muslim children is meat." Third,
"The religion has deep impact on children in Bharat. The Hindu, Muslim,
Sikh and Christian children have their own separate identity. They also
speak different languages."
Under 'Conquest of Debul' students
are told that a "furious battle was fought between the two forces. There
was a temple in the middle of the city. A red flag was hoisted on the top.
The Hindu people had a firm belief that nobody could defeat them as long
as the flag was there.
The Muslims chanted the slogan of
Allah-o-Akbar and catapult was operated and started throwing heavy stones.
A stone hit the flag and it fell down. The temple was severely damaged.
The Hindus lost all hopes. The enemy was defeated and the fort was conquered
(page 95, Social Studies Class VI)." Also that the "Hindus began to embrace
Islam in great number due to the good and kind treatment of Muslims."
Consider Pakistan Studies for Classes
IX-X. The book states that: 'Urdu has been closely associated with the
Pakistan Movement' (page 178) and that the 'object of the Muslim League
was to establish a separate homeland i-e Pakistan, for Muslims' (page 40).
The book also states that: 'The
Hindus were encouraged by the Government to force the Muslims to join the
Congress' (page 38) and that 'a new culture was founded in the subcontinent
with the advent of Muslims. This culture was different in its form and
spirit from the local culture'. The book also alleges that 'the Muslims
of Bengal were greatly exploited by the English and the Hindus' (page 49).
Islam
Social Studies for Class VIII insists
that: 'Before the advent of Islam, ruthless, strong dictators usurped power
and ruled people mercilessly' (page 89). Social Studies for Class VII states:
'Before Islam people lived in untold misery all over the world', and that
'Some Jewish tribes also lived in Arabia. They lent money to workers and
peasants on high rates of interest and usurped their earnings. They held
the whole society in their tight grip' (page 13). Then there is the claim
that: 'Pakistan has always made sincere efforts to establish good relations
with its neighbours' (page 52).
It is rather intriguing that the
concepts of 'jihad' and 'shahadat' made their debut in the post-1979 curriculum.
'Jihad', 'shahadat' and 'mujahideens' are notions that are hard to find
in the pre-1979 curriculum. Primary Education's Curriculum Document specifically
prescribes: 'to make speeches on 'jihad' and 'shahadat'. The document further
instructs teachers 'to judge their spirits while making speeches on 'jihad',
Muslim History and Culture'. Another prescribed 'Learning Outcome' is to
'recognise the importance of 'jihad' in every sphere of life'.
To be certain, our Pakistan is now
full of distortions and Punjab Textbook Board along with the Curriculum
Wing of the Ministry of Education have both played a central role.
(The writer is an Islamabad-based
freelance columnist)
