Udaipur- The removal of a lesson on the valour of Veer Kalibai Kalasua, a 13-year-old Bhil tribal girl, from the Class 5 English textbook has sparked outrage among Rajasthan's tribal communities. The chapter titled "A Gurubhakt Girl: Kalibai," was excluded from the revised curriculum prepared by the Rajasthan State Institute of Educational Research and Training (SIERT), Udaipur, under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

In response, Udaipur MP Dr. Mannalal Rawat has written to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, urging the restoration of the lesson. Meanwhile, critics, including opposition leaders and tribal activists, have accused the BJP-led state government of erasing Adivasi history, while a crossfire of posts has added a layer of political intrigue. Protests have erupted with demands to reinstate the lesson.

Kalibai Kalasua, born around 1934 in Dungarpur, became a symbol of bravery during India's freedom struggle. Inspired by the Quit India Movement of 1942 and Gandhian leader Thakkar Bapa, the Dungarpur Seva Sangh was established to educate and empower Dalits and Adivasis with patriotic ideals. On June 19, 1947, local police and princely state authorities pressured Nanabhai Khant to shut down his school. When he refused, he was brutally beaten, leading to his death. Sengabhai Bhil continued teaching but was arrested, tied to a police lorry, and dragged. Witnessing this, Kalibai cut the rope with a sickle to free her teacher, only to be shot dead by the police.

The lesson, previously a key part of the Class 5 English textbook and featured on its cover, highlighted Kalibai’s devotion to her guru and her sacrifice for education. Its removal, along with a yoga lesson titled "Let’s Learn Pranayama," has been part of broader syllabus changes for Classes 1 to 5 under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The tribal community has strongly condemned the decision, viewing it as an attack on their heritage. In Kuchaman city, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists demonstrated, pasting posters reading "Veer Bala Kalibai Amar Rahe" (Long Live Brave Girl Kalibai) and "Stop Tampering with History."

Bharat Aadivasi Party (BAP) spokesperson Dr. Jitendra Meena alleged that a letter written by MP Rawat on September 1, 2024, led to the removal of Kalibai’s lesson. In that letter, Rawat requested revisions to a Class 9 history textbook, "Rajasthan’s Freedom Movement and Tradition of Valor," specifically challenging a passage about Sant Govind Giri’s movement and the Bhil Raj establishment. Rawat argued that the passage, which described the movement as a response to feudal and colonial oppression, was factually incorrect and portrayed it as a colonial narrative rather than a national awakening. He called for expert review to amend the content.

Meena claimed that Rawat’s earlier letter set a precedent for altering Adivasi-related content, culminating in the removal of Kalibai’s lesson on World Tribal Day. Sharing a sketch of Kalibai from his book Adivasis in Nation Building, Meena stated, “Today they remove lessons; tomorrow they’ll erase them from books entirely. That’s why I wrote this book to preserve our history for future generations.” He further accused Rawat and his associates of harboring anti-Adivasi sentiments, noting that Rawat did not acknowledge World Tribal Day. “We won’t forget our ancestors or those who undermine them,” Meena added.

Another user alleged conspiracy by Rawat behind elimination of the chapter. He stated, "Mannalal Rawat got removed the lesson on the martyrdom of Veer Kalibai Kalasua from the Class 5 textbook. He is neither a Bhil nor a tribal. He wants to erase the history of tribals."

MP Rawat’s Appeal to the Chief Minister to restore lesson

Meanwhile, MP Dr. Mannalal Rawat has written a letter to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, urging SIERT to reinstate the lesson. In his letter, Rawat described Kalibai’s sacrifice as a source of inspiration: “Veer Kalibai Bhil sacrificed her life in 1947 to save her guru from the regime’s bullets before independence. Her martyrdom is a source of inspiration for tribal students and all others. Removing it from the school curriculum is extremely unfortunate.” He emphasized that such stories are essential for teaching children India’s true history, noting that omitting heroic figures is an injustice to future generations.