Kannur University removes extracts of books of RSS ideologues VD Savarkar, MS Golwalkar
The syllabus of last year will continue this year too and a decision on lessons of another ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya will also be taken soon, the VC said.
After facing the wrath of several activists, Kannur University Vice-Chancellor has now announced that the extracts of books of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologues VD Savarkar and MS Golwalkar will not be taught in the post-graduate course on governance and politics.
The VC further added that the syllabus of last year will continue this year too and a decision on lessons of another ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya will also be taken soon. He said changes were made after the two-member committee appointed by the government submitted its report. Earlier, the inclusion of their books invited widespread criticism in the state.
Several activists of the Kerala Students Union, the student's wing of the Congress and the Muslim Students Federation, the youth wing of the Muslim League, burnt copies of their books and the Communist Party of India (CPI), an ally in the ruling Left Democratic Front, also criticized the move.
But the Students Federation of India (SFI), the CP(M) student wing, and the VC of Kannur University maintained that these books were in post-graduate courses and let students realize their ideology too. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan also came forward and said that intellectual freedom should not be sacrificed in the name of politics.
“I have quoted both, Savarkar and Golwalker, in my books and differed with their ideology. If you don’t read their books on what basis will you oppose their ideas,” asked Tharoor. “Students can learn all books and ideologies and arrive at their own conclusion. India is a free country. But banning books are not ideal,” the Governor had said while the issue was raged.
Extracts of VD Savarkar’s “Who is Hindu,” Golwarkar’s “We or Our Nationhood Defined”, Deendayal Upadhyaya’s “Integral Humanism” and Balraj Madhok’s “Indianisation, What, Why and How” was included in the syllabus among 30 other books.
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