Lesson in Mangaluru Varsity textbook claims soldiers rape during attacks: Author Baraguru apologises

A lesson in the textbook for BCA is insulting to soldiers. Author Baraguru apologises to soldiers if he has hurt them. Mangaluru Varsity defends the lesson saying it is not insulting.    

A lesson in the text book for Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) on soldiers on Border Security Force is said to be insulting to the soldiers and has created a controversy.  The lesson is an essay War: An enterprise, selected from a book authored by Baraguru Ramachandrappa titled Culture: Endeavour and Creativity, reported Kannada Prabha.

While describing the plight of the border security force the author has written “it is absolutely necessary to understand the loneliness and the perversions born out of it of the soldier who is posted at the border, away from his home and family. …….. A friend describes, quoting instances, how when enemy countries attack each other at the border villages, rape occurs and soldiers of both countries are participants in this. Usually we believe our (soldiers) are cultured and gentlemen”

The lesson is in the text book titled Pada Chittara prescribed for the BCA, BSc and BHM courses with 12 prose lessons. This is the 10 th chapter.

Author Baraguru Ramachandrappa has clarified that he apologises for any hurt caused to the soldiers. “Terming soldiers as rapists is like insulting oneself. The chapter was not written with an intention of insulting soldiers but a friend soldier had mentioned some points when I was writing about the loneliness of border security forces.  However, I had never given in writing permission to include it in the textbook” he said. He alleged that a chapter he had written in some other context has been included in the prescribed text book without his permission.

Interestingly, the University and the Publications Division have defended themselves stating that there is nothing derogatory to soldiers in the chapter.