SAD thanks oversight committe for undoing wrong to Punjab and Sikh history by rejecting the new class twelve history book.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today thanked the six member oversight committee for undoing the wrong done to Punjab and its Sikh history and culture by rejecting the new history book prepared by the Education department under the aegis of the Congress government.
In a statement, former education minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said “our stand has been vindicated by the Committee formed by the Congress government. We have all along maintained that the deletion of Sikh history in the class twelve history book of the education department smacked of a conspiracy to destroy the roots of our religious and cultural legacy. The Committee’s decision to allow the old book to continue will ensure our present and future generations will not be denied study of Sikh Gurus at an impressionable and defining period of their growth as individuals”.
Dr Cheema said the committee by recommending withdrawal of the new history book exposed the top officials of the Education department who had not only indulged in grave misconduct but had also defended their stand by giving false statements. “Now that the six member committee headed by Prof Kirpal Singh and including Prof Prithipal Kapoor, Prof J S Grewal, Prof Indu Banga, I S Goggoi and B S Dhillon has unanimously concluded that the new history book contains many errors and needs to be withdrawn, responsibility should be fixed against those who took credit for bringing out the new history book. These officers, who have even been so bold as to get their names printed in the foreword of the new history book, should be proceeded against immediately”, he added.
The SAD leader also condemned the Congress party for defending the new history book and mouthing lies that the 23 chapters on the Sikh Gurus had not been deleted but had been bifurcated into two in class ten and twelve history books. “Now all these lies have been exposed. The Congress government should learn a lesson from this self goal and in future should avoid taking false stands which are indefensible”.
Dr Cheema said as far as the SAD was concerned, it felt it was its sacred duty to take up this cause as it concerned the intellectual and spiritual legacy of our great people and the future psyche and morale of coming generations. “The findings of the Committee have proved that our stand was correct and as well as apolitical. We are hopeful that this corrective step will assuage the hurt feelings of the Sikh masses”.
The SAD also thanked academicians, school and college teachers, university professors, intellectuals, religious and cultural organizations as well as the media for lending their voice to the cause of restoring the history of Guru Sahiban and heroes and martyrs in the class twelve history book.
