VCK leader and MP Thol. Thirumavalavan has approached the Madras high court to direct the Union government to remove the objectionable cartoon from plus-1 political science text book of CBSE syllabus under the caption ‘Constitution at work’, which has been published with a malafide intention to tarnish the image of Babasaheb Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar, an architect of the Indian Constitution.
A division bench comprising Justices K. Venkataraman and C.S. Karnan, before whom the PIL from Thirumavalavan came up for hearing, ordered notice, returnable by four weeks to the Union government.
The petitioner said the manner in which, the cartoon was drawn and published, would undoubtedly create a bad impression on the minds of the students that it was Dr Ambedkar who was instrumental for the delay in framing the constitution.
The cartoon was not only a great insult to the national leader but a great humiliation and insult to the dalit people, he added.
He said as a member of parliament he took up the matter in Parliament on May 10. Other MPs joined hands with him, demanding withdrawal of the portion from the book and drew the attention of Union minister Kapil Sibal, who tendered apology for the publication.
Though assurances were said to be given by the minister, they have not moved towards that direction so far.
In such a circumstance, if the school reopens, then, again the same insult and humiliation would continue, he added and sought to restrain the Union government from circulating the book.