'Community reservation is a communal menace, financial reservation is solution'; unconstitutional remarks in Plus One textbook

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Plus One textbook of the Humanities Group of the state syllabus has sparked a controversy as it describes the community-based reservation provided by the Constitution for the backwards-scheduled sections of the country as a communal menace. The lesson on Social Work subject in the Humanities Group further states that the solution for this is economic reservation.

This lesson prepared by SCERT 2019 for the Department of Public Education is a mandatory lesson for children who have chosen Social Work as an optional subject. This has been taught to students in English and Malayalam medium schools in the state for the past five years.

The lesson first describes the consequences of communalism. It is said that social unity may be disturbed due to communalism and community organizations may be a threat to social and cultural development. Violence and social anarchy will prevail in the society. Riots affect women and children more. This will create fear and disharmony among the people. The lesson also warns that anti-social activities will be carried out under the guise of communal conflicts.

The book also suggests eight solutions to control the communal menace. The fifth is to replace community reservation with economic reservation. Other solutions include keeping religion out of politics and banning organizations that promote communal extremism.

Lobby of higher caste officials behind this

1. Knowing that the statements would be controversial, only the English version of the textbook was released

2. The Malayalam translation has not been printed. It is given in the SCERT website

3. Teachers should download and print it and teach it to their children. Notes should be prepared and submitted. Children can also print if needed.

4. It is alleged that a lobby of officials belonging to the higher castes is behind the illegal and unconstitutional remarks injecting 'poison' against communal reservation in children.