Private school in Hebbal faces controversy over textbook chapter on actor Tamannaah Bhatia

Bengaluru: Parents of children studying at the Sindhi High School in Hebbal have lodged a complaint regarding a chapter in the textbooks about actor Tamannaah Bhatia.

While they brought the issue to the attention of the school management, its inaction forced them to approach the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in
Karnataka.

Parents said the chapter featured prominent and successful members of the Sindhi community like actor Ranveer Singh, but they only had problem with content concerning Tamannaah.

The school has a class 7 textbook on Sindhis, in which a chapter dealt with “Life after Partition: Migration, Community and Strife in Sindh, 1947 to 1962”. A provision has allowed them to introduce their community and culture to students, since they are a linguistic minority.  

“We have no objections on children being introduced about another culture,” said a parent, who filed the complaint before the commission and the association.

“But our objection is about having a chapter on an actor that is unsuitable for grade 7 students.”

Some parents accused the management of threatening to issue transfer certificates to their wards if they raise objections.

‘Inappropriate content’

“We have no issues about lessons on veteran actors in the community, but if children were to look up on the internet about this actress, they will get inappropriate content,” said another parent.

D Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the association, said: “In any case, adding any content needs to be approved by the board concerned, to which the school is affiliated. Parents must (therefore) bring it up before the board.”

School authorities were unavailable for comment.