“I am sending a rejoinder to the newspapers that have spread canards,” Batra told IANS.
"My books have teachings imbibed from Mahabharata and Ramayana which great historians like Romila Thapar describe as epics. The fact is that some portions of Ramayana are there (finally) in NCERT books," Batra said.
Batra said it was the Gujarat government under the then stewardship of Modi that approached him for the translation of his books.
“I never asked Gujarat government to include my books in schools curriculum. They sought my permission to translate my books which I approved.”
Asked whether he was trying to please the Modi dispensation by showing his commitment to "Indianise" education, he said: “I have never met Modi nor Smriti Irani (Human Resource Development Minister).”
“What would I do by pleasing Narendra Modi? I have everything in life. My children are well settled and my daughter lives in Toronto in Canada,” Batra said.
However, Batra seems to be in awe of Modi.
“(Lal Krishna) Advani's age is over and it is Modi, who seems to be promising a better future.”
Asked about his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), with which the Bharatiya Janata Party has close ideological and organisational links, he said: “When I was 10 years old, I participated in some of the activities of the RSS. It does not mean that I am part of the RSS.”
RSS spokesman Ram Madhav has defended Batra's work and praised him for ensuring that "Indian values are taught to our children".
