He said that students having the same book have also been asked to return it to the school authorities as the school reopen after summer vacation.
Sibal said that Additional Secretary and Officiating Chief Executive and Secretary, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has submitted to his ministry that the Council did not prescribe or recommend text books except in English and Regional Languages for Class IX-XII.
It informed that the publisher of the book (Active Publishers, Garh Road, Meerut, UP) has tendered a public apology and same has been published in the local newspapers in Lucknow. The Publisher has also conveyed to CISCE that he has met the concerned complainants and personally apologized to them.
“CISCE has further informed this Ministry, that the publisher has withdrawn the book from the market and also that books in hand will be withdrawn once the school reopens after summer vacation”, minister said.
Earlier Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Sibal to urgently intervene after a textbook allegedly depicting Prophet Mohammed Sketch provoked protests in Uttar Pradesh, triggering concerns over its impact on national security. The PM has sought urgent “remedial” action after meeting Muslim leaders.
The Class IV moral science textbook published by the Active Publisher was recommended as reading material by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) for schools affiliated to it.
A chapter titled Being Good and Gentle depicts the Prophet. The picture irritated Muslims across the state as depicting picture of prophet is against the basic tenant of Islam.
Several Muslim leaders in Lucknow and Delhi have protested the depiction of prophet picture promting prime minister to ask sibal for a quick action over the issue.