Vinayak Damodar Savarkar has been featured in a Kannada textbook lesson in the Indian state of Karnataka, which is quite viral on social media. It is also being made fun of on social media.

In fact, it is said in this text that Savarkar used to fly on Bulbul's wing in the Cellular Jail of Andaman Islands.

The name of this text is Kalavanu Geddavaru. It means those who go against the stream win. This text is a travelogue written by Katie Gatti. Writer Katie Gatti visited the cell in the jail where Savarkar was imprisoned from 1911 to 1921.

These lessons were included in the revised syllabus by the Textbook Revision Committee in Karnataka headed by Rohit Chakratirtha. This text in the curriculum has been removed after a dispute over it.

Referring to Savarkar's life in prison, the author mentions in a paragraph how there was a small hole in the back wall from which even the sky could not be seen. Bulbul birds used to fly from somewhere and come to the cell through this hole and Savarkar used to visit the motherland everyday sitting on their wings.

Author and data scientist Arun Krishnan said, "I agree that we need to include Savarkar in our school textbooks, but should it be done that way. Savarkar himself would have felt embarrassed seeing this.''

It was told by an official that the author had used it as a metaphor.

In response to this, former Congress minister Priyank Kharge tweeted saying that it does not seem that it was said like a metaphor.

However, Madegowda, managing director of the Text Book Society, told BBC Hindi, "It is the author's imagination. This decision was taken by the Textbook Revision Committee. Till now we have not received any instruction from the government. We are waiting.''

What does BJP have to say

On this matter, BJP National General Secretary CT Ravi said in a conversation with the media that, "The author took the help of imagination to tell how Savarkar's love for the motherland connected him with the people. You need to see it practically. No. If you imagine, you can be in many places in the world.''

Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh declined to comment on the matter.

Controversy has already happened

Even a few months back, the content of textbooks had become a cause of embarrassment for the BJP government in Karnataka. Complaints were made at the time for misrepresenting the statements of Basavanna, a 12th-century social reformer and founder of the Lingayat community.

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