250 scholars sign open letter against Rajya Sabha question on Pak author’s book
This comes about a year after AMU decided to drop teachings of two Islamic scholars from their syllabus of the Department of Islamic Studies with varsity officials saying that the decision was taken after some complaints were received that the teaching of the authors were “objectionable”.
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The two scholars whose teachings were removed are Egyptian author and Islamic scholar Sayyid Qutb and Pakistan author Abul A’lal al- Maududi. (Representational/File)Over 250 Indian scholars and academicians have signed an open letter, raising concern over a Rajya Sabha question on “Pakistani author’s book prescribed at educational institutions in the country”.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) had written to all the Central Universities on March 16, requesting them to furnish information regarding the same.
This comes about a year after AMU decided to drop teachings of two Islamic scholars from their syllabus of the Department of Islamic Studies with varsity officials saying that the decision was taken after some complaints were received that the teaching of the authors were “objectionable”. The two scholars whose teachings were removed are Egyptian author and Islamic scholar Sayyid Qutb and Pakistan author Abul A’lal al- Maududi.
The universities last week were asked “whether government has taken cognisance of the fact that a book by Pakistani author is being taught at Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia or any other educational institution in the country and the language is derogatory to Indian citizens and also supports terrorism; if so, the details thereof”.
They were further asked “whether the government would consider to scrutinising the contents of textbooks written by the said Pakistani author and take action against the persons responsible for the same?”
The statement signed by teachers and scholars associated with Higher Education Institutes said: “For leaving the book unnamed allows the question to be read as suggesting that any book by any Pakistani author that might possibly be read as being ‘derogatory to Indian citizens’ and ‘supporting terrorism’ must not be taught in any Indian university…The letter from UGC has the subject line…which turns Parliament question into a pretext to collect information on and place under suspicion all books by Pakistani writers discussed in Indian universities.”
The statement further said that education should teach students to engage with whatever appears as “insulting” or “derogatory” and respond to it with verbal argumentation, rather than refusing to hear it, or worse, considering it a crime to be met with threats of censorship and violence.
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