Rajasthan Govt withdraws book on Godhra massacre from school curriculum

Hindus were portrayed as guilty in the book

Madan Dilawar, Rajasthan’s Education Minister

Jaipur (Rajasthan) – The previous Congress Government in Rajasthan had included a book titled “Adrashya Log – Umeed aur Saahas Ki Kahaniyan” in the school curriculum. However, the current BJP Government has decided to remove this book from the syllabus, citing misinformation about the Godhra massacre as the reason. In 2002, two coaches of the Sabarmati Express, which was stationed at the Godhra railway station in Gujarat, were set on fire by Muslims, leading to the deaths of 59 Karsevaks.

Rajasthan’s Education Minister, Madan Dilawar, claimed that the book presented false information regarding the Godhra massacre and deliberately attempted to create divisions between communities. He stated that the book sympathises with those accused of setting the Sabarmati Express on fire, while portraying Hindus as criminals. The book is also alleged to include negative portrayals of Narendra Modi, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time of the incident. Given these issues, the Government decided to withdraw the book.

Education Minister Madan Dilawar also accused former Education Minister and Congress leader Govind Singh Dotasra of intentionally including this book in the curriculum, stating that Dotasra knowingly approved its inclusion.

In response, Govind Singh stated that he had not approved the book and called Madan Dilawar’s allegations against him baseless.