The previous government of India did a lot to promote HIndu nationalism and a fundamentalist form of Hinduism that was dogmatic, bigoted, and exclusionary. The new government wants to return Indian government to its pluralistic and secular roots.

The BBC reports:

Ms Dixit, who belongs to the Congress party, said a distortion of facts had taken place during the last few years and education had been tilted towards a Hindu nationalist ideology. ... The history text books published during the tenure of the previous administration caused controversy, because critics said they had been altered according to right wing Hindu prejudices. ... Supporters of the new government say it is making an attempt to uphold the secular system of education.

It is a shame when education is used as a political or religious football, tossed around for the sake of one party’s gain or loss. What the Congress Party is dong here is completely reasonable, but it is unfortunate that they have to do it at all. If the texts change every time a new party comes to power, education will suffer.

Read More:

• Religious Intolerance & Bigotry
• Religion in India
• Religious Tensions in India