‘We have great respect for the judiciary’: Education minister vows action over NCERT books dispute | India News
New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan “We have the utmost respect for the care of the judiciary” and action will be taken against those responsible for drafting the controversial chapter on judicial corruption in the NCERT class 8 textbook, it said on Thursday. The remarks came after the Supreme Court ordered a ban on the book, confiscation of physical copies and deletion of its digital version.Reacting to the Supreme Court order, Pradhan said, “Accountability will be held and action will be taken against those involved in drafting the chapter on judicial corruption.” “We have great respect for the judiciary and the court’s instructions will be followed,” he added.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also expressed support for the judiciary. Party spokesman Sambit Patra called the issue “sensitive.”Speaking about the ruling Patra said, “As far as the NCERT issue is concerned, it is a sensitive issue. I would like to express the party’s stand as the spokesperson of the party and I would like to say that not only in India but in the entire world, there is no other institution as independent and worthy as the Indian judiciary.” He further emphasized that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that the government stands with the judiciary.The controversy arose after the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, raised objections to a chapter titled “Role of Judiciary in Our Society” in the newly launched class eight social science textbook. The Supreme Court called the content about corruption, backlog of cases and insufficient number of judges “objectionable” and possibly an “elaborate conspiracy to defame the judiciary”. A three-judge bench, including Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, decided the matter after representations by senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi.The apex body also issued a show-cause notice to the NCERT director and school education secretary seeking explanation as to why action should not be taken against them. CJI Surya Kant said, “It is my duty to find out who is responsible; one has to be clear-headed.” The Supreme Court also warned that there will be dire consequences if the directive to impose a complete ban on textbooks is ignored.NCERT immediately apologized for the inappropriate content, withdrew the book from its website and stopped further distribution. The committee said the book will be rewritten in consultation with relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives. Of the 225,000 printed copies, 38 have been sold and are being recycled.This chapter provides an overview of India’s judicial system, while addressing issues such as corruption, backlog of cases, and insufficient judges. This prompted the Supreme Court to intervene to protect the integrity of the institution and maintain public confidence in the judiciary.
