The six-member panel which was set up following the row over B R Ambedkar's cartoon in class IX-XII textbooks has also recommended some changes in words and phrases with negative implications.
Headed by Sukhadeo Thorat, chairperson of the Indian Council of Social Science Research, the panel in its report submitted to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal last week, has sought removal of some R K Laxman cartoons from the textbook, a cartoon of Shankar and that of Surendra among others contending they were "ambiguous" and portrait politicians in "incorrect way".
However, one of the panel members M S S Pandian has issued a dissenting note as he found nothing inappropriate in the book.
"I did take into account suggestions by subject experts and concerns expressed by political parties, educational and other NGOs and intellectuals. I do not find, let me confess, contrary to my expectations anything educationally inappropriate in them and they should be used as they are," he said in his note.
One of the Laxman's cartoons, which the Thorat panel has sought removal, is that of a beggar holding a bowl out to garland Indira Gandhi and a Shankar cartoon showing Jawaharlal Nehru using his foot to propel a politician up into a building labelled governorship.
The panel has suggested removal of these content as it conveys a "sense of ambiguity".
It also asserted that "B R Ambedkars's position as a chairman of the Drafting Committee should be mentioned appropriately" in the textbook. (MORE)
