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Prime Minister Narendra Modi's disapproval of living individuals becoming part of the curriculum today prompted governments in BJP-ruled Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to drop the plan to include his life story in the school syllabi.
The education ministers of the two states had mooted the idea of incorporating the story of Modi's life in textbooks to "inspire" the students, but the move did not find favour with the PM. Modi first tweeted: "I firmly believe that the life story of living individuals should not be included as a part of the school curriculum" and then called up Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama at 7 AM to deprecate the move. "Narendrabhai called me this morning and told me that it is not appropriate to include life and events of a living person in the school syllabus. He was not happy with the idea of teaching his life in primary schools. He asked us not to go ahead with that project," Chudasama told reporters in Gandhinagar.
"I told Narendrabhai that his wish is like a command. I assured him that the state government will not go ahead with the project," he said.
In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for School Education Deepak Joshi told reporters that "the state government will not include Prime Minister Narendra Modi's life sketch in school text books as wished by him in a tweet." Opposing the move of the two state governments, Modi said earlier in the day: "I am reading in the news that some states want to include Narendra Modi's life struggles as a part of their school curriculum."
Noting that India has a rich history with stories of several stalwarts who made the country what it is today, Modi said, "Young minds should read about these greats & emulate them". After Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan government on Friday also decided to drop the plan to include Prime Minister Modi's life story in its school syllabus.
The move by the third BJP-ruled state was also prompted by Modi's disapproval of living individuals becoming part of the curriculum. State Education Minister Kali Charan Saraf had earlier this month, before the election results had said he would consider incorporating Modi's biography in school text books if he became the Prime Minister. "Modi has himself expressed today that life story of living individuals should not be included as a part of the school curriculum, so we have also dropped the idea to include his life struggle in school text books," Saraf said.
