It is good that the publisher has withdrawn this book, but how did it get in the schools in the first place? There are terrorists all over the world who invoke the texts and teachings of Islam in order to justify violence and supremacism. Yet it is certain that there are no textbooks in Britain that dare to link Islam with terrorism, and if there were such books, the outcry would be far larger than the one over this book. The double standard is obvious and undeniable.
“Publisher withdraws British schoolbook linking Hinduism with terrorism,” IANS, October 8, 2020:
LONDON: A British GCSE religious studies workbook has been scrapped from a schools website and withdrawn by the publisher after it sparked outrage among the British Indians who said it linked Hinduism to terrorism.
The book bearing the AQA logo (the examination board which sets and awards GSCES and A levels), had been downloadable from the curriculum section of the website of Langley School, a comprehensive secondary school in Solihull, West Midlands — until Monday.
A description of Hinduism on page four of the book states: “Holy books teach that it is necessary to be able to morally justify war in order to preserve dharma. Arjuna, as a Kshatriya, is reminded of his duty to uphold a righteous cause and that in fact there is nothing better than a righteous war. “If the cause is just, Hindus will take up arms. Self-defence is justifiable; hence India has nuclear weapons to protect from aggressors. Some Hindus have turned to terrorism to protect Hindu beliefs. The Arthashastra scriptures state that governments must act with a suitable moral approach, which implies a just one.”…
An AQA spokesperson said: “We didn’t produce the workbook that’s been shared on social media and our logo was used on it without our permission. Some of the material in it seems to have come from a textbook — we’ve spoken to the publisher, which has withdrawn the book from sale while it addresses the issue.”