However, as I grew up, I realised that the said privilege is exactly why I should be more informed, and now I wish I had spent my childhood reading up more about politics, that there was someone who explained to me, its importance.

What happened was unfortunate.

And if that was unfortunate, the current scenario is plain scary. It’s not about not encouraging to learn anymore, it is about making kids learn propoganda-driven topics.

For instance, CBSE recently decided to remove certain subjects from the syllabus of classes 9, 10, 11 and 12.

This was done with view of reducing syllabus by up to 30% in the wake of the current pandemic. 

Which makes sense. Until you take a look at the chapters. 

Class 9: Population and democratic rights. 

Class 10: Democracy and diversity, gender, religion, caste, challenges to democracy.

Of course, there are other topics too which have been done away with, and the authorities say it is a temporary measure.

But isn’t it convenient to remove almost everything that the government has been criticised for, for past few years?

Whether they will be included again or not, is sort of besides the point. The point is the intention; which is very clear.

Keeping kids uninformed so that they don’t grow up and become dissenting adults.

In that context, we all know what happens to the adults who dissent. 

During the anti-CAA protests earlier this year, there were multiple cases, some extremely disturbing, of Delhi college students being beaten up by the police. 

Tear gas was thrown at them, lathis were rained and everything was done to stop them from asking questions.

Because how dare they?

False allegations were put on the students, they were beaten mercilessly and ultimately, one day, this happened.

The police force, which was in-charge of making sure that peacefully protesting students do not get harmed, did not just indulge in violent acts themselves, but also could not stop a man from entering a crowded area with a gun.

Meanwhile politicians went on to say things like desh ke gaddaron ko…

From where does it all start, though? From small incidents, minor tweaking.

Earlier in 2018, there were reports of a Hindi story Ajmer ki Sair for class 3 students in Rajasthan, being renamed to Ajmer ki Yatra.

That was not the only change, though. The story on Hindi-Muslim brotherhood was manipulated in a manner that the history of the former was glorified.

The tale, supposed to be about a trip around Ajmer, spent seeing monuments of significance for both religions, was changed to serve the narrative of one. 

Prithviraj Chauhan was called ‘the king who defeated Bharat’s invader, Mohammad Ghori several times’.

Several tourist attractions were added too. Like Brahma temple, Panchkund.

Not only this, vedic math was introduced, gender roles were reinforced and educationalists said that they were a part of other revisions introduced by BJP.

The alterations were made in the syllabus of class 1 to 8, which makes the age bracket, roughly 6-13. 

Now, if 6-13 is the target group for manipulated narrative, you can imagine where the country is headed.

This is where. 

This clip is from a school in Karnataka, run by an RSS leader. The kids here, can be seen enacting the Babri Masjid demolition.

This ‘event’ was attended by BJP MP Sadananda Gowda and Kiran Bedi.

This should scare us, because what is being done here will have very far-reaching effects and it may not be possible to undo them.

Because what a kid learns during formative years plays a huge role in setting their moral compass; which in turn makes them the person they are, and a country what it is.

So, how will our country look 50 years from now? The answer, clearly, is not in the books.