Lucknow: The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government was making changes in text books due to "political bias and prejudice" and under pressure from Left parties, former HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi, charged with saffronisation of education during his tenure, alleged today (Jun17, 2004).

"Teaching historical facts in schools was not saffronisation of education and the changes now being made in the text books are an outcome of political bias of the new Government," he said.

Joshi said that changes made in the text books during his tenure were based on historical facts and challenged the new Government to point out anomalies, if any.

"Earlier too I had told the Lok Sabha that the charges of saffronising education were wrong and had asked the Opposition to point out the lapses but to no avail," the BJP (Bharatiya Janta Party) leader, who lost Lok Sabha election from Allahabad and is contesting for Rajya Sabha, said.

He alleged the UPA Government was acting under pressure of the Left parties and was bent upon "communistisation" of education wherein lessons praising Lenin and Marx will be incorporated in the text books.