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Panaji, Feb 20 (IANS) According to a Class XI World History text book taught in Goa's higher secondary schools, when Maratha king Shivaji attacked Goa in the late 1600s, his forces not only plundered the countryside, but also killed prisoners, including men, women and children as well as Catholic priests.
Another portion in the now controversial book also describes Shivaji's son, Sambhaji, as a plunderer, who ravaged the Goan countryside.
After a right-wing NGO, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti brought, what it describes as "distorted" history about the great king to the notice of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday, the latter has now hinted, that the controversial references to Shivaji would be deleted from next year's course books.
"These portions in the history book show contempt towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti strongly condemns this. No Hindu will tolerate such distorted history of the great kings of our motherland," Dr. Manoj Solanki spokesperson for the Samiti told IANS on Wednesday.
"Goa government should immediately withdraw this history book or else all Shiv premis will come out on the streets to protest against it," he also said.
Some of the portions in the book, which have stirred controversy in Goa includes one which summarises Shivaji's raids in Portuguese-held Goan territories in the late 1660s.
"In 1666, Shivaji himself attacked Bardez country, looting and burning some villages for three consecutive days, taking prisoner many men, women and children and killing some of them, there being among them four Catholic priests and other persons from that community and withdrew after it," according to the history text book which has been approved by the state education board.
The text book also recounts Shivaji's son, Sambhaji's raids on the Bardez sub district of Goa in 1683.
"Sambhaji's forces entered the Bardez county in 1683 and robbed and burnt churches and village dwellings, lifted cattle and caused much damage, taking over in the process the forts of Thivim and Chapora. On the other side, they also invaded Salcete county of Goa and carried award a huge quantity of food grains and cattle, attacked and looted the fortified and armed churches of Margao and other places," it says, adding that fearing Sambhaji's raids, then Portuguese viceroy for Goa "D. Francisco de Tavora, Count of Alvira, knelt at the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, in the city of Goa and sough the help of the saint to save Goa from the threat of the Marathas".
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Education portfolio, said that when the next academic year begins in 2021, a proper version of history would be taught to students in Goa.
"I, as Education Minister, can assure you that when the new term starts next years, efforts will be made to ensure that Shivaji's ideals and a proper version of history would be taught to students," Sawant said.
--IANS
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