midst roaring controversy over the misinformation and distortion of facts in history textbooks for Class XII, Punjab’s Education Minister Pargat Singh on Sunday issued strict directions with regard to the objections raised.

“Punjab School Education Board is already carrying out a probe whose report would be out by March 5,” said Pargat Singh, while issuing the directions with regard to the objections raised regarding a book published about the history of Punjab.

The Minister also made it clear that anybody found guilty in the probe would be strictly proceeded against. “The tinkering with the facts and their distortion would not be tolerated,” he added.

The directions were issued after several complaints were received or the same, and days after a demand was also raised to immediately withdraw or ban the “controversial” history textbooks for Class XII.

Aam Aadmi Party’s senior leader and MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan, first one to raise the issue, had said: “A big-scale and calculated conspiracy has been hatched to distort the facts about Sikh history, Sikh Gurus, Gurubani, and the history of Punjab and its martyrs.” He had demanded immediate withdrawal of these books from syllabus and ban on books of Prof Manjit Singh, Dr AC Arora, and Dr MS Mann, all published by private publications.

He had also sought clarification from the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Education Minister Pargat Singh, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, former Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla, former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal including other Congressmen and Akali Dal (Badal) politicians as to whether Guru Hargobind Ji had served in the army of Mughal ruler Jahangir after releasing 52 kings from Gwalior Fort as was mentioned in AC Arora’s book ‘History of Punjab’ on page 81.

Dr Mann's book stated that Guru Hargobind was forced to pick up the sword by the jatts of Punjab. Similarly, it says that Guru Gobind Singh formed Khalsa Panth to include jatts in his army.

AAP leader had also pointed out that Gurbani quoted in these books is full of spelling mistakes, which changes its meaning and is disrespect of Gurbani, besides highlighting that these books also contain disinformation about freedom fighters and martyrs of Punjab.