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Jaya wants Karuna, Kani removed from textbooks
Moves SC, says syllabus finalised by DMK govt would politicise young minds
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha acknowledges greetings of supporters in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI

New Delhi, June 13
Within a month of becoming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for the third time, AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa has come to the Supreme Court seeking to prevent the introduction of a school syllabus finalised by the previous DMK government.

The books published under the new syllabus talks about her predecessor M Karunanidhi and his daughter Kanimozhi, who is now in jail in the 2G scam case.

The Jayalalithaa government has taken exception to the inclusion of Karunanidhi’s poem in the revised textbooks for all classes and to the half-a-page details about a cultural festival, Chennai Sangamam, conducted by Kanimozhi.

“The new syllabus would politicise the minds of young children and prejudice the interest of 1.3 crore students in the state,” the state government said in the petition.

The first Cabinet meeting held by her on May 22 decided to put on hold the revised syllabus till the overhauling of the education system and subsequently the state Assembly gave its approval to the move by amending the relevant education Act.

However, the Madras High Court stayed the move on June 10 and asked the state government to introduce the new syllabus after removing all objectionable portions.

ARRIVES IN DELHI, Will meet PM today