The Jammu Kashmir State Board of School Education has directed all the schools of the J K and Ladakh not to use textbooks of History and Civics edition 2020 for Class 7th published by JAY CEE Publications after outrage over depiction of a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad that has the sentiments of a Muslim community.
In a notification, BOSE also directed schools to withdraw these books if they are being used by them or face strict action under law.
“All the schools of UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh affiliated either with CBSE, JKBOSE or any other Board of the country are directed not to use textbook of History & Civics, Edition 2020 for class 7th published by JAY CEE Publication Pvt Ltd, New Delhi,” reads the notification.
It reads that if the textbook is being used in any school, it must be withdrawn immediately, otherwise strict action as warranted under provisions of law shall be initiated.
“While condemning the act of publication of certain material that has hurt the sentiments of the people, the publisher is directed to withdraw this textbook immediately from all the schools wherever it has been distributed, in spite of the publishing house having regretted the mistake made by them,”’it added.
The notification further reads that the publisher of the aforesaid textbook has already regretted the mistake made by them which might have hurt the sentiments of the people.
“As such the publisher is directed to withdraw this textbook immeditely from all the schools wherever it has been distributed,” it reads. (KF)