Patkar takes umbrage over dropping of a chapter on her in NBT

Social activist Medha Patkar today slammed Narendra Modi government for removing a chapter from a children books dedicated to her, saying the move "reveals" how the new government is functioning.
"I did not know anything about it. First time I read it in the newspapers today. It's very revealing how the new government is functiong and how vested interests are directing the decisions of the new government," she told PTI.
Her comments came against the backdrop of the National Book Trust (NBT) deciding to drop a chapter on Patkar from a book titled "Children who made it big", illustrating the life and work of 12 famous people who have made it big in their respective spheres.

NBT's decision followed an objection from Ahmedabad- based National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) which contended the chapter on her should be dropped "as it is about a person having dubious contributions to the nation."
In his letter to the HRD Minister, NCCL President V K Saxena said the author or the publisher of the book has perhaps "unwittingly" committed a "great error of judgment" by bracketing Medha Patkar with the likes of agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and author Ruskin Bond.
Meanwhile, NBT in a letter said that after duly examining the matter in consultation with the author and consideration, it has decided to drop the chapter.

"After considering the whole matter in question and the fact that Medha Patkar, a known social activist, has now joined a political party and started contesting elections etc, it has been felt by the Trust to drop the Chapter on her in the above publication and settle the issue with the consent of the author in writing," a Ministry letter said.
NBT has also decided to bring out an updated and revised edition of the publication after dropping the chapter on Medha Patkar.