MUMBAI: Two public interest litigation challenging the replacement of the word “Sindh” with “Sindhu” in the national anthem will come up for hearing in the Bombay High Court. Both petitions, filed last year, seek direction to the Maharashtra government to withdraw the text books reflecting the error.
The first petition was filed by Mulund resident Dakshata Shet, saying she noticed the change in the latest standard X Geography textbook of Marathi Medium school printed by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. The change is also reflected in the English medium Geography textbooks, she had told the court. The second petition was by Arjun Pawar regarding saying the history text books also contain the same gaffe
In her petition, Shet has pointed out that the Supreme Court, as well as the Bombay High Court, have ruled that the national anthem should not be amended even if geographical changes take place in India. “These rulings are specifically in relation to the word ‘Sindh’,” the petition adds.
Shet’s petition also urged the court to direct the government to reprint new textbooks with the correct national anthem and to register a cognisable offence against the concerned persons “for exhibiting disrespect towards the national anthem and towards the nation as a whole.” On September 1, the court had directed the Maharashtra government to file a reply to the petition.
TOI | Dec 4, 2014
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