"Veer Savarkar flying on a bulbul": Chapter in Class 8 Kannada textbook goes viral

BENGALURU: A paragraph from class 8 Kannada -second language textbook on V D Savarkar has gone viral on social media, for apparent "glorification" of the freedom fighter. The lesson, "Kalavannu Geddavaru" is a travelogue written by author K T Gatti, narrating his experience about a visit to the Andaman cellular jail, where the Hindutva leader was imprisoned.

The author while describing about the prison cell in which Savarakar was lodged says, "there is not even a keyhole in Savarkar's cell, but still somehow bulbul birds used to come flying inside the cell, and sitting on their wings Savarkar used to visit his motherland everyday and return." This paragraph in the chapter has drawn flak from some social media users, who mocked the travelogue writer and the Karnataka government.

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Though, some have said the reference seems to be a poetic expression or a metaphor used by the writer, as part of his narration, and should not be taken in a literal sense. However, some Twitter users, trying to make fun of what has been said in the paragraph, have even tweeted pictures of caricatures resembling Savarkar sitting on a bird, while a section have called it a "worst form of political propaganda" and "destroying of education system".

Karnataka Congress MLA and party's Chairman - Communications, Priyank Kharge, in a tweet regarding the paragraph said, "This doesn’t sound like it was meant to be a metaphor....." The lesson is part of a textbook that was revised by the now-dissolved committee headed by Rohith Chakratirtha.