Report on upcoming protest at Delhi University on removal of controversial essay on Ramayan

From: India Today

Rohan Venkataramakrishnan New Delhi, October 19, 2011 | UPDATED 10:03 IST

DU History department to protest removal of controversial essay on Ramayan


Delhi University's (DU) history department has planned a "massive" demonstration by the end of the week to protest the dropping of a controversial essay on the Ramayan from the BA (honours) syllabus. The department members are hoping to mobilise support from professors and students so that the university academic council reconsiders its decision to drop the essay by renowned scholar A.K. Ramanujan.

"The history department has decided to mobilise teachers on this issue. Within a week, we are going to have a massive protest, starting from the Vivekananda statue, till the vice-chancellor's office," Sheo Dutt, an academic council member who voted against the decision, said. The council had decided to drop the essay, Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translations, last week in an apparent response to Hindutva activists who have called the piece "blasphemous". It describes 300 different "retellings" of the epic by communities across India and in other parts of Asia. The history department is now hoping the demonstration will give impetus to their campaign that was started with the unanimous resolution, passed on Saturday, calling the council's decision "non-academic" and demanding that it be reconsidered.

The department members are yet to settle on a date for the march - they are considering the next Saturday or Monday, depending on consensus with the other groups who have joined in for the cause. "Many other prominent universities and scholars have spoken out against this decision. They all agree this is a blow to academic autonomy and diversity of opinion," T.K. Venkatasubramanian, a professor of ancient Indian history at DU who has spent more than 28 years in the history department, said.

A number of organisations are planning to take part in the demonstration, including the Democratic Teachers Forum, the Students Federation of India and the All India Students Forum. The groups met at the North Campus Arts Faculty lawn on Saturday to plan their march. WE ARE planning an action group; we want to come together against this decision," Abha Dev Habib, a member of the executive council who is also a DUTA executive and part of the Democratic Teachers Front, said. "There are enough of us working with other studentteacher groups, and we are planning a peaceful protest march to stop the saffronisation of the university."

The groups are planning to prepare leaflets giving their side of the story, and hope to educate others on the campus about the dangers of letting the council's decision stand. The protest is likely to get support from scholars and experts outside DU, who have spoken in favour of the history department. "I think the council's decision is ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason to remove a text on such frivolous grounds," Aditya Mukherjee, a professor of contemporary Indian history at Jawaharlal Nehru University's centre for historical studies, said.

"Historically, it is a fact that there are multiple views and versions of something like this. In any case, when you begin to change educational texts simply on the basis of protests by small groups, you're on shaky ground," he added. The protesters are hoping that if they build enough support against the academic council's decision, it will either reconsider it or decide to withdraw it before it goes to the executive council.

"The decision has not yet been ratified by the executive council. So they are not going to drop the essay just yet," Sheo Dutt said. "In the past, we forced university authorities to withdraw such kind of draconian measures and changes. If we get enough support, we can do it again," he added.

How is syllabi usually passed in DU?

A committee of courses considers the subjects to be taught in a course, including specific texts. The panel's recommendation is sent to a departmental council, where professors who teach the subject add suggestions. Once this report is ready, it is sent to the academic council, which usually accepts the department's opinion. The syllabus has to get the final approval from the executive council, which is usually a formality.

What about Ramanujan's essay?

In 2006, the course 'Culture in India: A historical perspective', that included Ramanujan's essay, was cleared by all the councils.

What prompted the current row?

In 2008, ABVP activists called the essay "obscene" and "blasphemous" and filed a writ petition in the high court. The case reached the apex court, which directed DU to constitute a panel to look into the matter. The panel's report - which had three experts recommending the essay, and the fourth saying it was too complex for undergraduate students - was brought before the academic council last week. The council voted to drop the essay, with nine out of 120 voters dissenting.

What happens now?

The decision to drop the essay from the course has to be approved by the executive council.


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