Musharraf hailed among 'greatest personalities' in Indian school book

General (retd.) Pervez Musharraf is not a figure that is particularly liked in India. For one, he is Pakistan’s former Army Chief and ex- President. Pakistan’s relations with India reached a boiling point more than once during his 9-year regime, one time both forces closing in on each other at the border in 2002. However, a schoolbook in India featured General Pervez Musharraf’s name and his picture in a list of ‘Greatest Personalities’.

A book for Grade III at a private school in India in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh carried Musharraf’s picture and his name as one of six greatest personalities. The book was for children belonging to class three. The District Bar Association (DBA) in Jabalpur has taken a strong objection to the lesson and complained to the district authorities in this regard, following which Christ Asha School at Awadhpuri here, has withdrawn the book.

“The book written by Pankaj Jain and published by Gayatri Publication has put Musharraf’s picture among the portraits of six great personalities,” Amit Sahu and Vinay Mishra of the DBA said.

“This is highly objectionable. Under the Musharraf regime in Pakistan, the Kargil War took place, in which many Indian soldiers lost their lives,” they said. Sahu also laid blame and stated that it was a folly of the nation and educational institutes in India, which were playing with the tender minds of children by telling them at such an early age, that Musharraf was a hero.

The Principal of the school informed media that he had taken appropriate action when the matter had been brought to his notice.

Manorama Awasthi, “When the content of the book was brought to our notice, we immediately withdrew it.”