Row over English syllabus in Delhi University

NEW DELHI: There was tension during the academic council meeting of Delhi University on Tuesday evening when ABVP members entered the Viceregal Lodge and gheraoed there, protesting against the English syllabus. Amidst the shouting and sloganeering, the council decided to refer back the English and history syllabus to their respective departments for modifications.
The AC also sent the political science and sociology syllabus back to the departments, asking for some minor changes.This was, however, contradicted by some members who said that it was sent back as it was “spreading Leftist and Maoist ideology.”
After the July 11 standing committee meeting on academic matters, called to discuss the updates in the undergraduate courses, saw opposition to the English syllabus over the addition of ‘Maniben alias Bibijan’ by Shilpa Palarkar — a story set during the Gujarat riots; as well as of papers on caste in literature and queerness.
Rasal Singh, member of the right-wing teachers’ group, National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF), had called the inclusion of the story an affront to “nationalistic ideology and an attack on the RSS.”
In the AC meeting, Singh said, “The university’s AC took serious cognizance of our logical and factual objections and asked departments to revise their syllabus. We have also asked for the resignation of the head of the English department,” he said.
Singh also informed that in the History syllabus, their major objection was the “removal of Rajput history, Ambedkar and that of Sufi poet Amir Khusro.”
Saikat Ghosh, AC member said, “Despite our argument, we couldn’t discuss much as the ABVP members disrupted the proceedings with their sloganeering and heckling. The heads of the departments felt threatened due to their actions.”
Another AC member, Sudhanshu Kumar, claimed that “the VC willfully made sure that ABVP disrupts the proceedings.”
ABVP’s state minister, Siddharth Yadav, said, “It is very unfortunate that those sitting in the academic council are doing politics to join the political agenda of the Left ideology syllabus.”
He said that the ABVP did not indulge in any violence and were protesting peacefully.