Teachers have called on the Thaweka government to revise Tamil-language textbooks used in Tamil Nadu’s school curriculum, citing lessons that they say contain extensive praise of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
Under the state’s Samacheer Kalvi system, Tamil is a compulsory subject up to Class 10. Students studying under other boards such as CBSE are also required to use the state Tamil textbook and appear for examinations based on it. The books are prepared, printed and distributed by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation.
According to the teachers’ demand, textbook content has often been altered in line with the party in power. While references to leaders such as E.V. Ramasamy (Periyar) and C.N. Annadurai are present in limited measure, they allege that during the previous DMK government, passages praising Karunanidhi were included across textbooks.
They pointed in particular to the Class 10 Tamil textbook, which carries a five-page lesson titled “Multifaceted Artist,” describing Karunanidhi’s youth, the anti-Hindi agitation, public speaking, drama, cinema, journalism, literature and public life. The lesson also mentions his works such as Tholkappiya Poonga, Kuraloviyam and Nenjukku Neethi, and projects like Valluvar Kottam and the Thiruvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari, along with a condolence poem he wrote on Annadurai’s death and a list of films and a television serial linked to his writing.
The report also notes that other textbooks include sections on Periyar’s ideas in Class 9, Annadurai’s radio address and sayings, and a detailed article on M.G.R.’s life and welfare initiatives in Class 8, alongside additional references to these leaders in Class 7 lessons. Teachers have sought changes to what they describe as politically slanted content.
