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New Delhi: After an NDTV story which showed a Class 6 textbook that says meat-eaters cheat, lie and commit sex crimes, the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) has said that school books used across the country are not monitored for content. "We only recommend books for Class IX onwards. Books are chosen by individual schools. There is no monitoring of content of school books," CBSE chief Vineet Joshi told NDTV today. He was reacting to the story which showed the Class 6 book titled New Healthway: Health, Hygiene, Physiology, Safety, Sex Education, Games and Exercises. On page 56, the books says about non-vegetarians, "They easily cheat, tell lies, they forget promises, they are dishonest and tell bad words, steal, fight and turn to violence and commit sex crimes." That's not all. On the same page, the book credits the tastiness of meat by saying that "it is the waste products which largely produce the flavour of meat". It is published by the reputed firm S Chand, which also prints texts used in hundreds of schools in the country. A report had been prepared in 2005 by academics which had raised concerns about textbooks printed by private publishers. But no action was taken on it, Janaki Rajan of the Faculty of Education in Jamia University who was part of the committee that prepared the report told NDTV. "Since 1985 there has been concerns about what has been propagated by private publishers. An excellent report has been presented to the government but no action has been taken since," she said. The same committee had advocated a National Textbook Council to oversee and approve content but that was rejected by states earlier this year. Annie Koshy, principal of St Mary's school in New Delhi, said that while her school didn't use this book, it does serve as a test case for school books. "The CBSE recommends some publishers and not particularly books. It is a great way for us to actually see whether teachers are reading the books and teaching what the books say," she said. The book in question makes several more bizarre statements. It has lauded the Japanese for their vegetarian diet, which it says leads to a longer life span, while ignoring that Japan is known for sushi and seafood. "They are vegetarians and live longer than most other peoples. The generous use of green leafy vegetables, soya beans and grams has helped the people to maintain vigour, strength and endurance throughout the centuries", the book says; there is no mention of the fish in Japanese diet. But diet isn't the only issue that's raised in the book. While talking about life lessons, the book advocates marriage for girls between 18 to 25. "To get married without a bad name is a dream of every young girl."
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Hare Krsna,
Sorry for the delay in replying. His divine grace, A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has mentioned in several books the dangers associated with meat-eating. So it is logical that non-vegetarians will have many defects resulting from consequence of meat eating. Regarding the tastiness of meat, that is very subjective since most vegetarians do not like the taste of meat.
From Srimad Bhagavatam, 3rd Canto:
"In a demoniac society, innocent animals are killed to satisfy the tongue, and women are tortured by unnecessary
sexual indulgence. Where there are women and meat, there must be liquor and sex indulgence."
"A human being is not to eat anything which is not offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yajna-sistasinah santah: one becomes freed from all sinful reactions by eating foodstuffs which are offered to Yajna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee therefore eats only prasada, or foodstuffs offered to the Supreme Lord, and Krsna says that when a devotee offers Him foodstuffs from the vegetable kingdom, with devotion, He eats that. A devotee is to offer to Krsna foodstuffs prepared from vegetables."
"The maintenance of slaughterhouses for the satisfaction of the tongue and the killing of animals unnecessarily should never be sanctioned by a government."
"As human society is presently structured, there is sufficient production of grains all over the world.
Therefore the opening of slaughterhouses cannot be supported. In some nations there is so much surplus grain that sometimes extra grain is thrown into the sea, and sometimes the government forbids further
production of grain. The conclusion is that the earth produces sufficient grain to feed the entire population, but the distribution of this grain is restricted due to trade regulations and a desire for profit.
Consequently in some places there is scarcity of grain and in others profuse production. If there were one government on the surface of the earth to handle the distribution of grain, there would be no question of scarcity, no necessity to open slaughterhouses, and no need to present false theories about over-population."
"When animals are killed in a slaughterhouse, six people connected with the killing are responsible for
the murder. The person who gives permission for the killing, the person who kills, the person who helps, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing. Narada Muni wanted to draw the King's attention to this fact. Thus animal-killing is not encouraged even in a sacrifice."
"For a human being, agricultural produce, fruits and milk are sufficient and compatible foodstuffs. "
"Sattvika-ahara, foodstuffs in the mode of goodness, are described in the sastras as wheat, rice, vegetables,
fruits, milk, sugar, and milk products. Simple food like rice, dhal, capatis, vegetables, milk and sugar constitute a balanced diet, but sometimes it is found that an initiated person, in the name of prasada, eats very luxurious foodstuffs. Due to his past sinful life he becomes attracted by Cupid and eats good food voraciously."
Hari Bol,