Epic is a digital reading platform—built on a collection of 40,000+ books from 250 plus publishers—that claims to fuel curiosity and reading confidence for kids up to 12.
How would a Jewish family feel if they find that their fourth-grader is reading a book on Hitler that presents him as a world leader and hero? How would American families react when they learn that their 8-year-old child reads a book on Osama bin Laden showing him a great revolutionary in the fight against the Russian invaders in Afghanistan?
What would you say to a Muslim American family of Indian origin from Gujarat who lost several relatives in the 2002 carnage, whose child, after reading a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an iconic and world leader, told them, "I want to be like Modi?"
It is what many such families are facing in their homes when they or their children log in to the digital reading platform and read books on the world's great leaders.
By the name of Amina, a Twitterati wrote: "My 4th grader casually mentioned to me today that the "EPIC" reading app, the public schools all over the US have under their curriculum, a book on Narender Modi by the same title!
"I was baffled as to why little elementary school level American kids are reading a book on a mass murderer & a dictator of heinous crimes...I read till chapter 5 to verify it's contents. The book claims that NM didn't only go to the university for his bachelors but also a Master's. It frequently pointed out the corruption, crimes of the congress party & went to praise him all the while. It seemed to me that the book justified his doings."
The Twitterati Amina is Asma Azeem. India Clarion picked up the story and reported the following: "Asma Azeem, the Florida state coordinator of Mothers Against Teaching Hate in Schools (Project-MATHS) wrote to the members of ASPAIRE (Alliance to Save and Protect America from Infiltration by Religious Extremists), about the book.
Azeem pointed out that the book repeats the false claim by Modi that he went to a university to obtain a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree. It also regurgitates Modi’s attacks on the opposition Congress Party of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Azeem’s message on social media went viral and mothers in chapters of Project MAPS and members of ASPAIRE have begun responding to write to the school boards and the management of the Epic app."
The US government banned Modi in 2005 for his involvement in the Gujarat massacres of Muslims. More than a million Muslims suffered. Terrorists belonging to his party raped hundreds of women, killed scores of people, and destroyed property worth millions. Modi was a persona non grata in the US and remained prohibited until 2014 when the Obama Administration lifted the ban under the United Nations' diplomatic status policy.
Modi has no record of having either a bachelor or Master's degree and is a member of a fascist organization that praises Hitler even 70 years after his death. Like his party leaders, he believes in a Hitler-like solution of India's minority problem. In his saffron party, he was known to revere Nathu Ram Godse who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace.
Why would Epic include such a book to be part of the curriculum? Who authorized it? What was the role of the Hindutva lobby and the government of India in promoting this book in the US education system? These questions are important to raise.
The book is by Alexis Burling, who claims to be an accomplished writer. I recently wrote to her the following: I had the opportunity to read your book on Modi. It is not factual and misses several essential issues, and promotes the lies that Modi has a Master's degree. There is no record of even his bachelor's degree. He presided over the carnage of Muslims in India. The US banned him from visiting the country from 2006 to 2014 for his involvement in the massacre. I am disappointed that the writer of your stature would produce a book that would mislead people. The book also ignores the fact that he belongs to the RSS, a party whose members killed Mahatama Gandhi and praises Hitler. I do not want my children to read a book honoring a murderer."
Perhaps the education community should look into the matter and ensure that no foreign entity interferes with our children's educational upbringing.
When PM Narendra Modi himself has clarified that he got the formal education upto the 10th class only then why certain people try to humiliate him by attributing Bachelors and Masters degree in ‘entire’ Political Science to him.
His supporters are doing major disservice to him by claiming that he finished his Master’s Degree in ‘Entire Political Science’ from the premium Delhi University without ‘managing’ the records of the same in the archives of the institution. Neither they tried to put up a group of oldies who could claim to be PM Modi’s classmates back then (in which ever period toadies want to establish him a scholar).
However let me clarify here that unlike his Toadies, PM Modi has been…
It is shocking that kids in Grade 4 in US are reading a book by Alexis Burling that portrays Narendra Modi in a positive light when it is common knowledge that under his watch as the Chief Minister of India in 2002 he allowed the murder and rape of thousands of Muslims in Gujurat, India. Mr. Modi was also banned from entering the U.S. becuase of his genocidal tendencies in India. And even to this day, Mr. Modi as Prime Minjster of India is allowing his RSS extremists lynch and rape Muslims in India and Kashmir. This book by Alexis Burling must be censored immediately in the name of human rights and decency.