Jammu, 28 July (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday stepped up its attack on the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) Government, demanding the resignation of Jammu and Kashmir, Education Minister, Sakeena Itoo over the alleged introduction of anti-India and pro-terrorist books into the curriculum of the School Education Department.

Addressing a press conference here, senior BJP leaders held the Education Minister directly accountable for what they described as a grave lapse in the functioning of the Department. The party alleged that the inclusion of the controversial books reflected a complete failure of oversight and accused the Government of attempting to shield senior officials by making lower-ranking employees scapegoats.

The BJP questioned how books allegedly containing objectionable and anti-national content had found their way into the curriculum without undergoing proper scrutiny and approval by the competent authorities. The party also claimed that the authors of the books remained untraceable, raising further concerns about the process through which the publications were selected and approved for use in educational institutions.

The introduction of such highly controversial books, whose authors are still untraceable, is the direct responsibility of Education Minister, Sakeena Itoo. She cannot escape accountability for such a serious lapse, the BJP leaders alleged.

Demanding immediate action, the party said Sakeena Itoo should step down on moral grounds, failing which Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah should remove her from the Council of Ministers.

Education Minister, Sakeena Itoo should resign on moral grounds, or Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah must sack her from his Council of Ministers. The Government cannot evade responsibility for allowing such books to enter the education system, the BJP leaders asserted.

Launching a fresh attack on the Government, the BJP alleged that the suspension of a few officials of the School Education Department was merely an attempt to divert public attention while protecting those who had actually taken the decision to approve the books.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar