Textbook depicting mosque as noise pollutant sparks row


New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI): An image in a class VI textbook taught in ICSE schools showing a "mosque" as a source of noise pollution has sparked outrage on social media, prompting an apology from the publisher and the promise that the picture would be removed in subsequent editions.

The science textbook, published by Selina Publishers, has a chapter on the causes of noise pollution.

The picture, shared widely on social media, shows a train, car, plane and a mosque, all with symbols depicting loud sound, next to a man grimacing and shutting his ears.

Netizens have now launched an online petition demanding the book be withdrawn. While ICSE board officials were not available for comment, the publisher has apologised for the image.

"This is to inform all concerned that we will be changing the picture in subsequent editions of the book," publisher Hemant Gupta said on social media sites.

Gupta said the diagram on page 202 of its publication, Integrated Science, consisted of "a structure resembling a portion of a fort and other noise producing objects in a noisy city". "We do apologise if it has hurt the sentiments of anyone," he said.

Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam had stoked a controversy in April this year when he said he was woken up by the sound of "azaan" -- early morning calls for prayers from mosques -- amplified by loudspeakers.

There have been several incidents of controversial content being found in school textbooks in recent months.

Excerpts from a class XII Physical Education textbook taught in some CBSE schools had kicked up a furore for defining a figure measurement of 36-24-36 as the "best body shape for females".

A class IV environmental science textbook that suggested killing a kitten as part of an experiment went viral on social media, forcing the publisher to withdraw it from the market earlier this year.

  

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Comment on this article

  • SMR, Karkala

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Beyond the obvious, there's a concerted attempt on the part of the ruling dispensation to saffronise education and feed a skewed version of history to impressionable children especially across BJP-ruled states.
    The "inordinate" focus on the history of our immediate past isn't some conspiracy but a necessity to understand our present day problems.
    According to those who subscribe to Hindutva ideology, saffronisation is an attempt at correcting grievous wrongs of the past by teaching a version of history that celebrates the heroics of Hindu rulers against the villainous Muslim raiders from the North. In a single stroke of a brush, the amnesiac Indian Right wishes to obliterate India's age old tradition of syncretism and diversity.
    We need to dispel the myth of seeing our history as a constant battle between Hindus and Muslims... it's a history of constant struggle between despots of various hues who happened to be Hindus or Muslims.
    There's a concerted attempt by vested interests emanating directly from the upper echelons of the present regime to subvert the secular nature of our society.It's incumbent on us as responsible citizens to fight this creed of hatred and bigotry. The very first step in this direction is teaching an inclusive version of history to our impressionable children so that they won't grow up to become standard bearers of bigotry.
    Nazis ingrained German kids with lifelong hatred of Jews. The mission started by Dinanath Batra become is silently carried in the directions of Hitler 'Mein Kampf' , the radical manifesto-cum-autobiography he penned while incarcerated in Landsberg prison after the abortive Munich beer hall putsch of 1923.
    Jai Hind

    DisAgree [1] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Satyameva Jayate, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Growing up in Mangalore I fondly remember what a nice and very peaceful city we lived in, but not any more. We do have a huge issue when we come to noise pollution, and a large number of us are to blame and regretfully it is getting worse with the increase in population that it is brining in more cars, more trains, more planes and more places of worship. What is troubling is that there is no guilt trip for a full blast of azaan at all odd times of the day, in particular during the morning hours when the whole neighbourhood is disturbed from their sound sleep.

    Hence, with zero compromise and zero tolerance things are only going to get worse in the years to come. So welcome to India and with a heavy heart reconcile yourself with all of the above - Quite frankly there is no choice. Don't believe me, just see the number of disagrees !!!

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • D.P.Shetty, Bahrain it

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    What's said is correct,god never told to use loud speaker to prize in temple or remainder to prayer in mosque , I like prayer will be in a silent mode so more peace of mind

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • MILAN, LUCERNE

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    BECAUSE OF SLEEP IS RUINED...WE CANT KILL BIRDS IN EARLY MORNING.

    SOME OF THEM COMPLAINED THAT THEIR SLEEP IS RUINED BECAUSE THEY WAKE UP EARLY BECAUSE OF AZAN.

    BUT NOBODY HAS COMPLAINED THAT BECAUSE THEY WOKE UP EARLY. THEIR HEALTH HAS BEEN EFFECTED

    WAKING UP EARLY ONLY BENIFTS HEALTH. SCIENCE HAS PROVED THATA MAN WHO WAKES UP EARLY WILL NEVER GET BACK PAIN

    BENEFITS OF WAKING UP early

    1 Greet the day. I love being able to get up, and greet a wonderful new day. I suggest creating a morning ritual that includes saying thanks for your blessings. I’m inspired by the Dalai Lama, who said, Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’ “
    Amazing start. I used to start my day by jumping out of bed, late as usual, and rushing to get myself and the kids ready, and rushing to drop them to school and come in to work late. I would walk into work, looking rumpled and barely awake, grumpy and behind everyone else. Not a great start to your day. Now, I have a renewing morning ritual, I’ve gotten so much done before 8 a.m., my kids are early and so am I, and by the time everyone else gets in to work, I’ve already gotten a head start. There is no better way to start off your day than to wake early, in my experience.
    Quietude. No kids yelling, no babies crying, no soccer balls, no cars, no television noise. The early morning hours are so peaceful, so quiet. It’s my favorite time of day. I truly enjoy that time of peace, that time to myself, when I can think, when I can read, when I can breathe.
    Sunrise. People who wake late miss one of the greatest feats of nature, repeated in full stereo

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Are these text books genuinely committing mistakes repeatedly only against non-Hindu communities???. Please don't fill little chldren's tender hearts with hatredness. Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other faith will live in India as long as India lives so please don't sow the seed of hatred and make this matter complicated and uncontrollable for you and make living a hell for everyone.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Thyampanna, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    The illustratormissed a good chance - among the 3 minarets, one could have been drawn as a mosque, one a church and one as a temple.

    DisAgree Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Chris, Tel Aviv

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Let's ban loud noise emanating from all religious buildings , so that no one point fingers at others.we only have to stop ringing bells from our side ..for the rest it make be hard .as loud sounds are a part and parcel of your faiths.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr Mohan Prabhu, LL.D, QC, Mangalore (Kankanady)/Ottawa, Canada

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Call for prayers four times a day to followers of Islam by trumpeting the call is indeed disturbing during the early morning and late evening hours. During the day the noise is just one source, traffic noise especially heavy lorries passing through make much louder noise and intensifies a noisy environment. devout Muslims do not need such wake up calls.

    any stranger visiting Mangalore would think he is in a middle eastern bazaar. Church bells used to make such noise in the old days but even they have stopped. What would have happened if they didn't and used loudspeaker attachment to the bells? Muslims in Mangalore still practice medieval religious customs and only they can a"educate" the imams in this regard.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Zuhair, Udupu/Muscat

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Boss here the issue is not whether azzan should be given in loud speakers or not.. the issue is , is it necessary for 6th std text book to contain such things which can easily provoke kids against a community at this tender age. U ppl jump into commenting without understanding the content..

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ashwin, Phuentsholing/ Padubidri

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    it is very much true .. nothing wrong in it .

    DisAgree [10] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Stop teaching hate to little children ...

    DisAgree [11] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • MN, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Intolerance

    DisAgree [11] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ramesh S, MANGALORE

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    ..if not Kapil Mishra, by this time KUJLI would have climbed roof top & shouted MODI is communal..Diamond cuts Diamond, after Mishra's exposure there is no news of KUJLI at all..

    DisAgree [16] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • D.Shetty, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Its true, irritating for someone living near to mosque.. why you have to call for prayer by mic , if anyone wants they will come for pray no need to yell forcefully...

    DisAgree [33] Agree [33] Reply Report Abuse

  • kas, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Why are you using bells in the temples.... why are you using mics for bhajans in early morning and evening ( one hour each ) ....
    Do not stay near the mosque, but do stay near the temple to hear the sweet music

    DisAgree [23] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • sudarshan, ganjimut

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Mr .Kas , Bhajans and Bells are not played in Mics. Get your knowledge correctly before commening.

    DisAgree [15] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • kas, Mangalore

    Mon, Jul 03 2017

    Sudharsan, If you do not know , how suprabhatam is played in temples, then I can not help it..... I am glad that the readers in good numbers , have told you to check/ correct your facts

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    There is no mention of loud speakers in any Holy books.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ramesh S, MANGALORE

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    ..guy in the picture looks like SONU NIGAM..

    DisAgree [3] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    It was right only... What was wrong there?

    Some time back I was asking my parents what was the situation before loud speaker came into existence. Then it was call without any speakers and sound was not going beyond 200 meters radius depending on personal capacity. Now we can hear azan from 5kms here.

    DisAgree [20] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • mohan sr., Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Nothing wrong in this... .. many countries are stopped shouting sound...

    DisAgree [11] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Dear publisher,
    Publish to Put a ban on playing obscene Bollywood songs on religious festivals!
    No one should advertise his prayer or faith to anyone in any way. They should communicate with God silently. God is listening even without making him notice.

    DisAgree Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    What is wrong in telling the children the truth?

    DisAgree [29] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ummar, Santhekatte

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Why not mentioned of Suprabhata shouting from nearby Mutt. But we never complained for that. India is a democratic country. Not anybodies private property.

    DisAgree [16] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Isn't shouting better than howling??

    DisAgree [8] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vantage Point, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Also include picture of navratri,nema-kola,bhajane...etc..in noise pollution section... let me see reaction
    Nothing wrong in telling truth...But when a bigot tells truth he forgets his own backyard but interested in someone else's

    DisAgree [10] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Indian, India

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    temple bhajans are 24 hours on the while festivals, and hindus are having more than 150 festivals in a year..

    DisAgree [8] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • C.T. Thomas, Nandalike

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    But this is only for a specific period of time, 7-10 days or something and that is not that loud, it is bearable. Not 5 times a day for 365 days a year and is pretty loud. Will KUJLI or Rahul come down and sit for a short dharna to show solidarity?

    DisAgree [8] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • kas, Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    Tell all the facts... do not hide the other facts.... Using mics for bhajans in the morning and evening ( one hour each ) from temples..... Playing bolywood songs throughout the procession ( for hours and hours ) cracking patakis all the way.... this is not the truth of noise pollution .... Annamalai is the right person to make the goons to clean the pataki papers from the road......

    DisAgree [10] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ahmed K. C., Mangalore

    Sun, Jul 02 2017

    They just have problem with one perticular community where as we all contribute to noise pollution, Air pollution and water pollution in the name of rituals and traditions.

    DisAgree [8] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse


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