{"id":1120,"date":"2020-12-05T13:45:44","date_gmt":"2020-12-05T13:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=133032"},"modified":"2020-12-05T13:45:44","modified_gmt":"2020-12-05T13:45:44","slug":"bjp-mla-falsely-claims-shiv-sena-govt-removed-hindu-option-from-board-exam-forms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/12\/05\/bjp-mla-falsely-claims-shiv-sena-govt-removed-hindu-option-from-board-exam-forms\/","title":{"rendered":"BJP MLA falsely claims Shiv Sena govt removed \u2018Hindu\u2019 option from board exam forms"},"content":{"rendered":"

A registration form for admission to Maharashtra SSC and HSC examinations for class 10 and 12 students has created quite a stir after BJP Maharashtra MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar claimed that the State Board has removed the sub-category \u2018Hindu\u2019 from the form.<\/p>\n

\n

\u092c\u093e\u091f\u0917\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0902\u091a\u0940 \u092c\u093e\u0902\u0917\u2026
\u0920\u093e\u0915\u0930\u0947 \u0938\u0930\u0915\u093e\u0930\u0928\u0947 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0941\u0924\u094d\u0935 \u0938\u094b\u0921\u0932\u0947, \u0906\u0924\u093e \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926\u093e\u0935\u0930\u0939\u0940 \u091a\u094c\u0915\u091f \u092e\u093e\u0930\u0932\u0940. \u092f\u093e\u0902\u091a\u093e \u0928\u093f\u0932\u093e\u091c\u0930\u0947 \u092a\u0923\u093e \u092a\u093e\u0939\u093e 10 \u0935\u0940, 12 \u0935\u0940 \u092a\u0930\u0940\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0947\u091a\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092b\u0949\u0930\u094d\u092e\u0935\u0930 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926 \u0928 \u0935\u093e\u092a\u0930\u0924\u093e \u0928\u0949\u0928 \u092e\u093e\u092f\u0928\u094b\u0930\u093f\u091f\u0940 \u0939\u093e \u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926 \u0935\u093e\u092a\u0930\u0932\u093e \u0906\u0939\u0947.<\/p>\n

\u092f\u093e\u0926 \u0930\u093e\u0916\u093e, \u092b\u0949\u0930\u094d\u092e\u0935\u0930 \u092f\u0947\u0924\u094d\u092f\u093e 24 \u0924\u093e\u0938\u093e\u0924 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0936\u092c\u094d\u0926 \u0926\u093f\u0938\u0932\u093e \u0928\u093e\u0939\u0940 \u0924\u0930, \u0920\u0940\u0915 \u0920\u093f\u0915\u093e\u0923\u0940 \u092b\u0949\u0930\u094d\u092e\u091a\u0940 \u0939\u094b\u0933\u0940 \u0915\u0930\u0942. pic.twitter.com\/KRZDRDrnjm<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Atul Bhatkhalkar (@BhatkhalkarA) December 2, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Times Now<\/a> carried a perfunctory news report on the allegation. \u201cMaharashtra government has removed the \u2018Hindu\u2019 option from classes 10, 12 exam forms. The state government has used the \u2018Non-Minority\u2019 word instead of the Hindu option in the newly released exam forms for the next board exams,\u201d claimed the channel.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

The report added that Bhatkhalkar has warned the Shiv Sena if the word \u2018Hindu\u2019 is not put back in the exam form in the next 24 hours, he would lead a movement to burn the forms across the state.<\/p>\n

The allegation makes its way to social media<\/h4>\n

Bhatkhalkar\u2019s claim soon began widely circulating on Twitter with the message that children have been asked their faith in the form but the Hindu religion does not find a mention. Below is a tweet by Akash RSS, a user followed by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. Akash has often been found sharing misinformation<\/a> online.<\/p>\n

\n

\u092e\u0939\u093e\u0930\u093e\u0937\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u094d\u091f\u0947\u091f \u090f\u091c\u0941\u0915\u0947\u0936\u0928 \u092c\u094b\u0930\u094d\u0921 \u0928\u0947 \u0905\u092c \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u092b\u0949\u0930\u094d\u092e \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u0947 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0927\u0930\u094d\u092e \u0915\u094b \u0939\u0940 \u0939\u091f\u093e \u0926\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948?<\/p>\n

\u092c\u091a\u094d\u091a\u094b\u0902 \u0938\u0947 \u092a\u0942\u091b\u093e \u0917\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0906\u092a\u0915\u093e \u0927\u0930\u094d\u092e \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0938\u093e\u0930\u0947 \u0927\u0930\u094d\u092e\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u0928\u093e\u092e \u0932\u093f\u0916\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0932\u093f\u0916\u093e \u0939\u0948<\/p>\n

\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0915\u0940 \u091c\u0917\u0939 \u0928\u0949\u0928 \u092e\u093e\u0907\u0928\u0949\u0930\u093f\u091f\u0940 \u0932\u093f\u0916\u093e \u0939\u0948 pic.twitter.com\/WAO6eAfkx3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Akash RSS (@Satynistha) December 5, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Another Twitter user @Ocjain4 who is followed by BJP leader Kapil Mishra also promoted the claim.<\/p>\n

\n

\u092e\u0939\u093e\u0930\u093e\u0937\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u094d\u091f\u0947\u091f \u090f\u091c\u0941\u0915\u0947\u0936\u0928 \u092c\u094b\u0930\u094d\u0921 \u0928\u0947 \u0905\u092c \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u092b\u0949\u0930\u094d\u092e \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0938\u0947 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0927\u0930\u094d\u092e \u0915\u094b \u0939\u0940 \u0939\u091f\u093e \u0926\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948<\/p>\n

\u092c\u091a\u094d\u091a\u094b\u0902 \u0938\u0947 \u092a\u0942\u091b\u093e \u0917\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u093f \u0906\u092a\u0915\u093e \u0927\u0930\u094d\u092e \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0938\u093e\u0930\u0947 \u0927\u0930\u094d\u092e\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u0928\u093e\u092e \u0932\u093f\u0916\u0947 \u0939\u0948\u0902 \u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0932\u093f\u0916\u093e \u0939\u0948<\/p>\n

\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0942 \u0915\u0940 \u091c\u0917\u0939 \u0928\u0949\u0928 \u092e\u093e\u0907\u0928\u0949\u0930\u093f\u091f\u0940 \u0932\u093f\u0916\u093e \u0939\u0948 pic.twitter.com\/GvStXNOfle<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ocean Jain (@Ocjain4) December 3, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That the sub-category \u2018Hindu\u2019 has been removed by the Maharashtra government from the SSC and HSC exam forms is widespread on Facebook<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Fact-check<\/h4>\n

This report will fact-check the following claims:<\/p>\n

1. Is this a new form released for next board examination?<\/p>\n

2. Has the option to select \u2018Hindu\u2019 as one\u2019s religion been removed?<\/p>\n

Form has been in use since 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

The BJP was in power in Maharashtra in an alliance with the Shiv Sena from 2014 to 2019. Shakuntala Kale, chairperson of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, was quoted in The Times of India (TOI)<\/a> saying, \u201cThe form was drafted in 2013 and has been in use since the 2014 exams.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSchool education minister Varsha Gaikwad also said the form has been in use since 2013, and there has been no change,\u201d according to TOI.<\/p>\n

When asked by the news outlet why the BJP did not change the format during its rule, Bhatkhalkar claimed that the word \u2018non-minority\u2019 replacing the word \u2018Hindu\u2019 is a recent alteration to make \u201csome\u201d happy, and \u201cto protect one vote bank, anti-Hindu decisions are being consistently taken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alt News, however, found Bhatkhalkar\u2019s accusation to be completely false.<\/p>\n

A copy of the SSC form<\/a> uploaded in 2017 on the website of Maharashtra Board, Pune when the BJP was in power carries the option \u2018non-minority\u2019. The link includes a circular which mentions the date as 9\/9\/2017 in Marathi.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An identical HSC exam form uploaded in 2017 can be accessed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We also checked the Maharashtra State Board website that carries sample forms for SSC<\/a> and HSC<\/a> exams. The creation date of the forms is 2017.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A report published in The Times of India<\/a> on September 3, 2013 also supports the state government\u2019s stance that the form has been in use since 2014. \u201cFrom next academic year, application forms for the SSC and HSC exams will have a separate column where candidates can mention if they belong to a minority community,\u201d reads the report.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2018Hindu\u2019 is not one of the options because it isn\u2019t a minority religion<\/strong><\/p>\n

A cursory observation itself renders the claim baseless. The 11th point in the form asks students to select their minority religion. In case they don\u2019t hail from a minority faith, there is an option of choosing \u2018non-minority\u2019. Hinduism is the majority religion in the country, therefore, to have \u2018Hindu\u2019 as one of the options for a question inquiring about students\u2019 minority faith does not make sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of the column is in line with requirements of the Central and state minorities department. Hence, the column lists minorities which are notified by the state government. For students who don\u2019t belong to those (categories), there is an option of non-minority,\u201d said Kale.<\/p>\n

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar\u2019s accusation that the Shiv Sena government no longer gives SSC candidates the option to choose \u2018Hindu\u2019 as their religion is false. The format has been in place since 2014 when the BJP was in power in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena. The claim was amplified by Times Now which did not verify Bhatkhalkar\u2019s allegation and published it as true. This was further promoted by BJP supporters on social media.<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

This post was originally published on Radio Free<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A registration form for admission to Maharashtra SSC and HSC examinations for class 10 and 12 students has created quite a stir after BJP Maharashtra MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,4,14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1120"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/149"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1120"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1121,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1120\/revisions\/1121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}