The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has decided to remove a cartoon from its textbooks that depicted coalition politics, stating that it cast India in a negative light. The cartoon, originally drawn by Ravishankar and published in India Today, illustrated the challenges faced by various Indian Prime Ministers in sustaining their coalition governments during the 1990s.
The cartoon featured prominent political figures such as V.P. Singh (1990), Chandra Shekhar (1990), P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991), H.D. Deve Gowda (1996), I.K. Gujral (1997), and A.B. Vajpayee (1998), all of whom led coalition governments during their tenures. Alongside their caricatures were a series of questions reflecting on the survival of their coalitions and the impact on Indian democracy.
The NCERT’s decision to remove the cartoon follows concerns that such depictions might present India’s political system in a less favorable light to students. Critics of the cartoon argued that it could lead to a misunderstanding of the complexities of coalition politics and governance in a diverse democracy like India.
The removal of the cartoon is part of a broader revision process undertaken by NCERT to ensure that educational content reflects the values and aspirations of the nation while providing accurate and balanced perspectives on historical and political events.
