KERALA CHIEF Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday took strong exception to the inclusion of the works of V D Savarkar and M S Golwalkar in the syllabus of a post-graduate course at Kannur University, which has kicked up a controversy. “Nobody should take a stand glorifying those who had set their face against the freedom struggle and its leaders. Kerala does not have that approach of glorifying them. Any retrogressive ideology should have to be examined critically,” the Chief Minister said. “The Kannur University has appointed a two-member expert committee to study the syllabus. Based on the recommendations, the university would take suitable action.” The inclusion of extracts from Savarkar’s “Hindutva: who is a Hindu”, and from Golwalkar’s “Bunch of Thoughts” in the syllabus of MA Governance and Politics has triggered row. Kannur University V-C Prof Gopinath Ravindran, who earlier rejected the allegation of saffronisation, on Friday was forced to change the stand – by appointing an expert team to examine the syllabus.
