Madurai Bench issues notice over textbook labeling Hakenkreuz as swastika

India Jun 05, 2026

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued notice to NCERT and the central government in a petition over why a class nine history textbook labels the Nazi Hakenkreuz as a swastika.
Mahalingam Balaji filed a petition saying this mix-up is misleading and could be harmful.

Mahalingam Balaji seeks NCERT textbook corrections

Balaji pointed out that while the Hakenkreuz is tied to Nazi ideology, the swastika is a Dharmic symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
He's urging NCERT to fix this in textbooks, add disclaimers, and review all materials for accuracy, so students aren't confused or misled about these important symbols.
The next court hearing is on July 13.