Bengal test paper refers to ‘Azad Kashmir’, central minister says “inspiring terrorism”

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 18 (ANI): A political row has erupted after a picture of a Class 10 practice test paper directing students to mark ‘Azad Kashmir’ on map went viral.

Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir is dubbed as Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. The image of the test paper was shared on social media by various BJP leaders including state president Sukanta Majumdar and national vice president Dilip Ghosh accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of trying to “create anti-India mentality” among the young minds.

The practice tests paper books are published by West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).

Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar alleged that the question setter is “inspiring terrorism” and sought an immediate end to the sale of the book.
“The paper setter is anti-national. He is inspiring terrorism. This is shameful. The West Bengal Education Minister should write to him and this test paper cell should be shut immediately. I will apprise the Union Education Ministry about this and cognizance would be taken of it,” Sarkar told ANI.

On Tuesday, BJP West Bengal chief Sukanta Majumdar slammed the Mamata government over the issue and termed it as the “worst kind of appeasement”.
“Students have been asked to mark the Azad Kashmir in WB Madhyamik exam paper. Does the CM @MamataOfficial endorse such views? This is worst kind of appeasement by TMC govt. This is condemnable. Strict action should be taken against the people who did this,” he tweeted.

Dilip Ghosh thrashed the TMC government calling it a supporter of “separatist forces”.
“The Mamata Govt is a supporter of the separatist forces Check the Marked Section of History Question Paper on page 132 in Madhyamik Test Paper 2023. Students have been asked to identify the part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as Azad Kashmir,” Ghosh tweeted.
The BJP leader further accused the Mamata government of “trying to create anti-India mentality”.

“This state government is not only supporting militants, but also trying to create anti-India mentality among young students. TMC means Corruption, Lies and Terrorism,” Ghosh tweeted.

However, the national spokesperson of the Trinamool Congress Riju Dutta termed the paper an “individual mistake” and said that the state government has initiated strict action into the matter.
“It is an individual mistake…Strict Action already initiated by the Govt. Of WB !! Plz Stop exposing the political bankruptcy of your party but posting such tweets,” Dutta tweeted.