[Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
Partha Dasgupta
parthaekka at gmail.com
Sat Mar 1 13:02:10 IST 2008
Dear Radhikarajen,
The debate here is about freedom of speech and religion. What the ABVP goons
are doing is enforcing a point of view about religion without even knowing
what they are talking about.
Sure, we can go into the use of goons by political parties, and a host of
other issues, but those are all besides the point of this debate.
Rgds, Partha
...............................
On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 12:54 PM, <radhikarajen at vsnl.net> wrote:
> Hi,
> simple fact is mazhab nahi sikhatha kisise bair karna, no faith teaches
> any believers to hate and indulge in violence.That exactly is the reason
> for the "leaders" to use the very faith or of no faith to encourage violence
> be it the communist faith in idealogies, or any faith of god.
> The issue here is when the discussion is about the channelising the youth
> energy for the societal good, why brand them as ABVP or NSUI or DYFI where
> all the followers have been invariably "used" by their masters for their
> gains ?
> Regards.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com>
> Date: Saturday, March 1, 2008 12:53 am
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
> To: radhikarajen at vsnl.net, Sadan Jha <sadan at sarai.net>
> Cc: reader-list at sarai.net
>
> > and how about the cadres of the so-called believers. Are they used
> > for
> > nonviolent activities? If I may use the believer's language, do
> > you think
> > "marayada purushottam" Ram will accept this kind of huliganism
> > demonstrated
> > in University of Delhi by those who use him for their divisive and
> > political
> > purposes?
> > One of the teachers in a university in MP was killed publicly by
> > the same
> > huligan "believers" and MP's ruling party BJP are doing their best
> > to
> > protect the assassin believer from law. Should Ram be proud of this?
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <radhikarajen at vsnl.net>
> > To: "Sadan Jha" <sadan at sarai.net>
> > Cc: <reader-list at sarai.net>
> > Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 3:32 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
> >
> >
> > > Dear Sadan,
> > >
> > > it is open secret that JNU and DU is filled with psuedo secular
> > "scholars"
> > > with political connections for "educating the cadres for
> > subversion of
> > > democratic India, living examples are Yechury and Karats in
> > public life.
> > > That apart, politicians fill in their useless wards in to paying
> > jobs at
> > > these two filling stations.
> > > Secularism does not mean disrespect to any faith, but respect to
> > all
> > > faiths. Left parties consistently with abetting Congress have
> > undermined
> > > the faith and built non believers in to cadres of violent
> > workers, later
> > > politburo uses these cadres for their selfish gains like in
> > Nandigram or
> > > Singur is well documented now.
> > > Regards.
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Sadan Jha <sadan at sarai.net>
> > > Date: Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:25 pm
> > > Subject: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
> > > To: reader-list at sarai.net
> > >
> > >> Dear All,
> > >> Today, I have read this mail from H-ASIA and thought to share it
> > >> with you.
> > >> This is in solidarity with faculty members and students of History
> > >> Department, D.U.
> > >> sadan.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> H-ASIA: Assault upon the Delhi University History Department
> > H-ASIA
> > >> Frank Conlon <conlon at u.washington.edu> to H-ASIA
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> H-ASIA
> > >> Feburary 25, 2008
> > >>
> > >> Assault by Hindutva mob on the Delhi University History Department
> > >>
> >
> ************************************************************************>>
> From: Frank Conlon
> > >>
> > >> Earlier this month, our colleague Sumit Guha, forwarded some posts
> > >> regarding a protest that had been generated by the VHP-linked ABVP
> > >> (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad)--a highly politicized
> > "student">> movement of the Hindu right in India. Some of our
> > readers will take
> > >> exception to that
> > >> description, but on the basis of all press accounts, I feel
> > >> comfortable writing it.
> > >>
> > >> Like everything else, the story requires some context, and,
> > >> remarkably, as in the debacle fifteen years ago when a
> > >> Hindutva-inspired crowd demolished a mosque at Ayodhya on the
> > pretense>> that it was built on the actual historical birthplace
> > of the god Rama,
> > >> Rama once again figures prominently in the story. Over the past
> > >> months there has been a resurgance "Rama"publicity arising in part
> > >> out of a proposed dredging of the sea bed near the southern tip of
> > >> India for creation of a safe deepwater passage for coastal vessels.
> > >> This was seized upon by interested parties who argued that this
> > >> dredging would involve disruption of a natural feature in the
> > seabed,>> known as "the Rama Setu" that has been credited in
> > mythology to
> > >> Rama's conquest of Lanka in the Ramayana epic poem.
> > >>
> > >> In popular consciousness mythology usually trumps geology and
> > >> hydrology--(and I refer here not only to India!) if they ever
> > mix it
> > >> up in the ring of public affairs. So, much has been written in the
> > >> past months about reasserting the vitality of Lord Rama and the
> > >> preservation of the Rama legacy.
> > >>
> > >> Ever alert for issues upon which to mobilize followers and generate
> > >> press, a substory of the above emerged in Delhi earlier this year.
> > >> Protests were mounted over what was called a "book" "published"
> > by the
> > >> Delhi University History Department--and attributed--
> > erroneously--to
> > >> Professor Upinder
> > >> Singh, a Professor of Archaeology and Ancient Indian History. The
> > >> fact that Professor Singh happens to be the daughter of Prime
> > Minister>> Manmohan Singh is, one suspects, not coincidental with
> > the association
> > >> of her name with the protest. The "book" was in fact not a
> > >> publication at all, but a
> > >> collection of "readings" for the Delhi University concurrent
> > >> course on
> > >> Ancient Indian Culture in the B. A. (Honours) programme. The
> > packet>> included an essay by (late) A. K. Ramanujan, titled
> > "Three Hundred
> > >> Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation",
> > which has
> > >> appeared earlier in a collection of the works of Ramanuman
> > edited by
> > >> Vinay Dharwadker and previously in Paula Richman's path-breaking
> > >> collection of essyas _Many Ramayanas: The Diversity of a Narrative
> > >> Tradition in South Asia_ (U California Press, 1991). Of
> > course, many
> > >> readers of H-ASIA are
> > >> familiar with the broad corpus of A. K. Ramanujan's
> > contributions to
> > >> the study of the history and culture of India including his
> > wonderful>> translations of Tamil and Kannada bhakti poetry.
> > >>
> > >> At some point, a packet of these essays was photocopied in a Delhi
> > >> shop with a "title page" crediting Upinder Singh, and out of
> > that was
> > >> manufactured a "new outrage regarding the hurting of feelings of
> > >> devout Hindus" by the Delhi University History Department.
> > >>
> > >> An example of the rhetoric plied against Ramanujan's essay may
> > suffice>> to give a flavor of the campaign.
> > >>
> > >> From http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/3819.html
> > >> The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Jan 18, 2008 post proclaims that
> > >> Ramanujan in his essay "even sorts out a tale from Santhal folklore
> > >> and puts forth the greatest outrage to Hindu psyche before the
> > >> students of literature that Ravan as well as Lakshman both seduced
> > >> Sita. No one on Earth so far dared to question the character of
> > Sita>> so brazenly as Shri Ramanunjan has done, though, all
> > through under the
> > >> convenient cover of a folklore!
> > >> "Sorting and picking out anything negative found in different
> > versions>> of Ramayana spread all over the world with malicious
> > intention has
> > >> become a practice under the UPA [current Indian coalition
> > government].>> Despite the repeated protests by Hindu leaders,
> > Shiksha Bharati and
> > >> Shiksha Bachao Andolan, the practice still continues.
> > >>
> > >> "In a latest instance, the Delhi University for its BA (Hons)
> > second>> year course has included portions defaming and
> > denigrating the
> > >> characters of Lord Ram, Hanuman, Lakshman and Sita and
> > projecting the
> > >> entire episode as fallacious, capricious, imaginary and fake."
> > and
> > >> it goes on to cite a
> > >> groundswell of Hindu indignation that such blasphemies could be
> > >> perpetrated by the Delhi University History department, and, of
> > >> course, in particular, the daughter of the Prime Minister.
> > >>
> > >> On February 2, 2008, the Delhi University History Department issued
> > >> the following statement:
> > >>
> > >> DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI,
> > >> IN ITS MEETING OF 04/02/2008
> > >>
> > >> 1. A number of groups have organised protest and have raised
> > >> objections to the inclusion of an essay by (late) A. K. Ramanujan,
> > >> titled "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three
> > Thoughts on
> > >> Translation". The essay had been published in Vinay Dharwadker
> > (ed.)>> The Collected Essays of A. K. Ramanujan, New Delhi: Oxford
> > University>> Press, 1999, pp. 131-60; [this was an expanded
> > version of a piece
> > >> that first
> > >> appeared in Paula Richman (ed.) Many Ramayanas: The Diversity
> > of a
> > >> Narrative Tradition in South Asia Berkeley: niversity of California
> > >> Press, 1991]. The said essay is one of he readings for the Delhi
> > >> University concurrent course on ncient Indian Culture in the B.
> > >> A.(Honours) programme, which has been offered in several
> > Colleges from
> > >> July 2006 onwards.
> > >> 2. The sole purpose of this course is to create an
> > awareness and
> > >> understanding of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of ancient
> > >> India among students, and to acquaint them with original sources.
> > >> Apart from the reading mentioned in the letter, the course includes
> > >> readings on Kalidasa's poetry, Jataka stories, ancient Tamil
> > poets and
> > >> poetry, ancient
> > >> iconography, and the modern history of ancient artifacts. The
> > >> essay is
> > >> part of a unit titled 'The Ramayana and Mahabharata - stories,
> > >> characters, versions.' It is accompanied by an excerpt from
> > Iravati>> Karve's book, Yuganta: The end of an epoch.
> > Supplementary readings
> > >> include the Introduction of Robert P. Goldman's The Ramayana of
> > >> Valmiki: an epic of
> > >> ancient India (the most recent and most authoritative English
> > >> translation of the epic), which gives a detailed, scholarly
> > >> introduction to the Valmiki Ramayana.
> > >>
> > >> 3. The late A. K. Ramanujan (recipient of several honours,
> > >> including the Padmashri) was a widely acclaimed scholar with
> > >> impeccable academic credentials. His expertise in a range of
> > languages>> including Sanskrit,Tamil and Kannada was perhaps
> > without parallel. His
> > >> credentials as a scholar, writer, and teacher with extensive
> > knowledge>> of ancient Indian literary traditions are
> > incontestable. It is sad to
> > >> see his name and work
> > >> being subjected so such ill-informed controversy. In the
> > article in
> > >> question, he illustrates and analyses the great dynamism and
> > variety>> in what he describes as 'tellings' of the story of Rama
> > within India
> > >> and across the world.
> > >>
> > >> 4. The concurrent course on Ancient Indian Culture and the
> > >> readings for it went through the same procedure as all other
> > courses>> in the University of Delhi pass before being adopted.
> > The readings
> > >> have not been devised or 'compiled' by any individual. Like all the
> > >> other University courses, they are the product of a consultative
> > >> process involving many members of the University community. The
> > >> content and readings for this
> > >> course were discussed extensively among Department members and
> > College>> teachers, and were approved through the regular
> > University procedures
> > >> in statutory bodies, namely the Committee of Courses, Faculty of
> > >> Social Sciences, Academic Council, and the Executive Council, which
> > >> include
> > >> teachers of all disciplines. The Academic Council is the highest
> > >> statutory body on academic matters in the University.
> > >>
> > >> 5. We would like to emphasize that there is no published
> > >> compilation of the course readings by Dr. Upinder Singh or any
> > other>> member of the Department of History. However, it has come
> > to our
> > >> notice that there is a spiral-bound collection of photocopies
> > of the
> > >> individual articles and excerpts related to this course at certain
> > >> photocopying shops. This set of hotocopies has a covering page on
> > >> which Dr. Upinder Singh's name has been typed, without any
> > >> authorization whatsoever, as a 'compiler.' It is this
> > collection of
> > >> photocopies that is being incorrectly described as a 'book'
> > compiled>> by her. There is in fact no book.
> > >>
> > >> 6. When readings are prescribed in a course, it is not
> > essential>> that the course-designers, teachers, or students
> > should agree with or
> > >> defend each and every word therein. In fact debate, dissent, and
> > >> dialogue are important parts of the discipline of history. It
> > may be
> > >> pointed out that the terms that have apparently caused offence to
> > >> certain individuals should in no way be construed as
> > mischievous or
> > >> slanderous. There is no question whatsoever of intending or
> > attempting>> to denigrate or hurt the sentiments of any culture,
> > religion,>> tradition, or community.
> > >>
> > >> 7. The aim of the course in question is to teach University
> > >> students (who are, after all, young adults) to be able to
> > analyze a
> > >> variety of source material academically, analytically, and without
> > >> embarrassment or denigration. That is the spirit in which the
> > course>> was framed and that is the spirit in which we believe it
> > is being
> > >> taught.
> > >>
> > >> ------
> > >> On the same day _The Telegraph_ (Kolkata) reported that
> > Mayawati, the
> > >> Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh had demanded that "the book" be
> > >> banned.
> > >>
> > (
> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080203/jsp/nation/story_8857319.jsp)under<http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080203/jsp/nation/story_8857319.jsp%29under>
> > >> a headline:
> > >> "PM daughter in Ramayan row"
> > >>
> > >> New Delhi, Feb. 2: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayavati has
> > asked the
> > >> Prime Minister to ban a text recommended for Delhi University
> > history>> students that allegedly contains objectionable
> > references to
> > >> characters in the Ramayan.
> > >>
> > >> Mayavati made the written request to Manmohan Singh after the Akhil
> > >> Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the BJP's student wing,
> > protested>> in Delhi and Lucknow, claiming the contentious text
> > was part of a book
> > >> compiled by the Prime Minister's daughter Upinder Singh.
> > >>
> > >> Upinder Singh, a professor of ancient Indian history at DU, has,
> > >> however, denied she had compiled the piece or recommended it to her
> > >> students.
> > >> "I have absolutely nothing to do with this text. The contentious
> > >> article is not written by me. Nor is there any book of mine which
> > >> contains the article. I fail to understand why I am being
> > linked to
> > >> the text," she told The Telegraph.
> > >>
> > >> Sources close to Mayavati confirmed that the chief minister had not
> > >> yet seen the "book", but said her letter to the Prime Minister was
> > >> motivated by concerns over law and order in her state."
> > >>
> > >> The report continued with a quotation from the ABVP Delhi General
> > >> Secretary Ms. Niharika Sharma "This is a deliberate attempt to hurt
> > >> the sentiments of the Hindu community." Asked why the ABVP was
> > seeking>> a ban instead of allowing college students to debate the
> > contents>> of a
> > >> research publication, Sharma said the organisation was worried
> > >> students would feel pressured to replicate Ramanujan's version in
> > >> their exam.
> > >>
> > >> "If the article is taught, students will be expected to
> > reproduce it
> > >> in exams as well. IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, UNLESS YOU WRITE
> > WHAT IS
> > >> TAUGHT IN CLASS, YOU DO NOT GET MARKS [emphasis added] Hindu
> > students>> will be
> > >> forced to write something they do not believe in," she said.
> > >>
> > >> The ABVP has already sent memoranda to the DU vice-chancellor
> > and the
> > >> head of the history department seeking deletion of Ramanujan's
> > essay>> from the course. "Upinder Singh has most definitely
> > compiled a book
> > >> with the objectionable text as a chapter. The book has not yet been
> > >> published but we have a copy," Sharma said."
> > >>
> > >> Karl Rove has nothing to teach the Hindu Right when it comes to
> > >> generating controversy (and here I will adopt the standard American
> > >> ploy for remarks that generate offense--I apologize to those
> > who may
> > >> be offended by my editorial comment. FFC]
> > >>
> > >> To make a long story longer, today I received a report that a
> > >> group of
> > >> ABVP activists vandalized the office of the Delhi University
> > History>> department and physically manhandled the head of the
> > department. The
> > >> following is reproduced as received including a note from the
> > Head of
> > >> Department Professor S. Z. H. Jafri and an open letter from
> > department>> students. It was forwarded by Professor Indrani
> > Chatterjee.>>
> > >> Dear Colleague,
> > >>
> > >> This is to inform you that the ABVP activists had come to the
> > >> Department around 2.00 p.m. with the intention of causing some
> > damage>> to the structure and gaining some mileage from it. They
> > partly>> succeeded in their venture. No injuries to anybody
> > except the glass
> > >> doors has been caused. The other details you can see from the
> > >> students letter which follows.
> > >>
> > >> Professor S.Z.H. JAFRI
> > >>
> > >> DOWN WITH ABVP VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS!
> > >> PUNISH THE CULPRITS!
> > >>
> > >> 25th February 2008. At about 2 pm in the afternoon an organised
> > >> mob of
> > >> more than 100 people from outside the university led by the ABVP
> > >> activist Vikas Dahiya gathered outside the building of the
> > School of
> > >> Social Sciences. Some 8-10 people came to the office of the
> > Head of
> > >> the Department of History, Prof S.Z.H. Jafri saying that they
> > wished>> to speak
> > >> to him and to Prof B.P. Sahu about the curriculum of BA Part II,
> > >> History (Concurrent). They insisted on speaking only once the media
> > >> was present.
> > >> Once the media arrived, in place of speaking to the department
> > >> members, they began to ransack the department. Even without
> > speaking>> or giving a chance to the people present there from the
> > department to
> > >> speak, these people toppled the table and ransacked the office
> > of the
> > >> head of the
> > >> department. One of them also manhandled Prof. Jafri and held
> > him by
> > >> his collar and hurled abuses at those present there. Considerable
> > >> damage to the property of the department by breaking the glass
> > panes,>> damaging books, office files and other objects in the
> > office was done
> > >> and all inthe presence of the media personnel and the very passive
> > >> police! The outsiders threatened the faculty members and warned
> > them>> of dire consequences. This is a clear act of vandalism. It
> > is clear
> > >> that they had come with the clear intention of perpetuating
> > violence>> in the department and it was a planned action to create
> > an atmosphere
> > >> of terror.
> > >>
> > >> This incidence occurred in the very presence of the police
> > personnel>> as well as the media. The media footage would clearly
> > show all that
> > >> happened in the office of the head of the Department of History
> > on the
> > >> 25th afternoon. The attack by 8-10 robust hooligans, not
> > belonging to
> > >> the university, on absolutely defenceless faculty members of the
> > >> Department of
> > >> History is a shameful act in itself. Trying to force the faculty
> > >> members to change the curriculum of history which has been
> > passed by
> > >> the due legal process of the University through the use of force
> > >> is a
> > >> clear act of fascism which is not acceptable in a democracy.
> > Freedom>> of expression is a fundamental right of every individual
> > and any
> > >> encroachment on the same is
> > >> not tolerable. It is democratic structures and values which are
> > >> seriously threatened.
> > >>
> > >> This is an appeal from the students of history department to
> > >> everyone in the University to raise their voice against this
> > >> vandalism and this fascist attempt to scuttle the freedom of
> > >> expression . We appeal to all students, staff and teachers
> > >>
> > >> To JOIN the Protest March at 10.30 a.m. at Vivekanand Statue,
> > Faculty>> of Arts on the 26th of February, 2008.
> > >>
> > >> Whether one feels that A. K. Ramanujan was a great intellectual or
> > >> not; and whether one agrees that India's past is a fit subject for
> > >> critical analysis, I believe that H-ASIA members will deplore this
> > >> 'media-savvy' creation of a physical assault on an academic
> > department>> at Delhi University.
> > >>
> > >> As of the moment, I have not received an e-mail address to which
> > >> comments may be relayed, but one immediate possibility would be to
> > >> send comment for forwarding to Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan
> > >> <rangarajan.mahesh at gmail.com> at Delhi University. The postal
> > address>> for the head of the department is:
> > >> Prof. Saiyid Zaheer Hussain Jafri,
> > >> Head,
> > >> Department of History,
> > >> Faculty of Social Science building,
> > >> University of Delhi,
> > >> Delhi-110007.
> > >>
> > >> I will add one more personal editorial note that again will offend
> > >> some folks (and not the ones offended earlier either)--this episode
> > >> offers, in my view, the fruits of politicizing the past and our
> > study>> of it--and while concepts of secular humanistic research
> > in Europe,
> > >> America and other parts of the world may not resemble the Indian
> > >> concept in which secularism means "no offense to any religion"--we
> > >> frequently find urselves as scholars and teachers facing the
> > >> "concerns" of various practitioners of what may be called 'identity
> > >> politics'--in the secure world of North America, the risks of mob
> > >> action are small--but there are far too many university
> > >> administrators--wedded to the concept of 'student as customer' who
> > >> wring their hands over anything academic which smacks of
> > ontroversy.>> In other words, Delhi University's misfortune is not
> > quite as exotic
> > >> as some folks on this side of the kala pani would like to believe.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Frank
> > >>
> > >> Frank F. Conlon
> > >> Professor Emeritus of History, South Asian
> > >> Studies & Comparative Religion
> > >> University of Washington
> > >> Seattle, WA 98195-3560 USA
> > >> Co-editor, H-ASIA
> > >> President, H-NET Humanities & Social Sciences Online
> > >> Managing Director, Bibliography of Asian Studies Online
> > >> ******************************************************************
> > >> To post to H-ASIA simply send your message to:
> > >> <H-ASIA at h-net.msu.edu>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >> Sadan Jha
> > >> Assistant Professor,
> > >> Centre for Social Studies.
> > >> Vir Narmad South Gujarat University Campus. Udhna-Magdalla Road.
> > >> Surat. Gujarat. India.
> > >> blog: mamuliram.blogspot.com
> > >> _________________________________________
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> > > _________________________________________
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> >
> >
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Partha Dasgupta
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