New Delhi: Opposition Janata Dal (United) on Monday said it was not in favour of seeking resignation of HRD Minister Kapil Sibal over objectionable cartoons in NCERT books.

"We are not for resignation of Sibal on this issue. But what I feel is that these cartoons are for a matured mind and not for children. Minds of children are tender," Sharad Yadav, whose JD(U) is an NDA member, told reporters outside Parliament. The issue of controversial cartoons in textbooks generated heat in the Lok Sabha with members demanding immediate action in the matter saying the sketch has hurt sentiments of a section of society.
Yadav said, "We are not against cartoons as such. We are all for freedom of expression. We have no objection to the criticism of politicians also. But these cartoons which are for a matured mind are being featured in NCERT text books."
However, MP Harsimrat Kaur of Shiromani Akali Dal, also an NDA member, maintained that showing politicians and voters "in bad light" is not good for the country and democracy.

"Schoolchildren are being taught in the NCERT text books that voters are dogs which is not humorous. I as politician do not find it funny nor would you as a voter," Kaur said. On the argument of ensuring freedom of expression, she said, "We are all for freedom of press and expression. But to poison and mislead the young minds in the name of freedom of expression is totally wrong. When it is appearing in NCERT books, then it is not fair and today politicians are being painted in bad light which is not good. This will weaken the country."
A charge sheet has been filed by CBI in January this year before a Kolkata special court against Kishore and five other persons including the owner of accounting firm (S K Tulsiyan and Company), S K Tulsiyan, Sashi Tulsiyan, Ravi Tulsiyan besides middle men Subhash Chand Barjatiya and Nishant Jain.
The agency had alleged that Kishore demanded bribe of Rs 30 lakh from the accounting firm for undue favours extended to them in Income Tax matters of various parties before the Tribunal.
"The Tulsiyans were acting as a tout to Shri Jugal Kishore and were the middlemen and prepared orders on behalf of the members of ITAT, Kolkata and manipulated orders," a CBI spokesperson had alleged.
The most glaring case is that of the tribunal`s Kolkata bench ? as many as 12 of its orders were recovered from Tulsiyan`s hard discs before these were delivered, the CBI had alleged. The CBI had during searches conducted at Kishore`s residence recovered Rs 28 lakh of alleged bribe money and the remaining Rs two lakh was found in a brief case with Jain and Barjatiya.
Later, during the searches at the offices of the accounting firm, the CBI had claimed to have recovered nearly 14 computer discs carrying over 70 pre-dated judgements which were delivered in various benches of the tribunal.
PTI