Pinarayi Vijayan said one should not glorify reactionary ideologies (FILE)
Thiruvananthapuram:
Amid allegations of saffronisation by various student unions over the inclusion of portions of books by RSS ideologues in the PG syllabus of Kerala’s Kannur University, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said his government will not glorify those ideas and leaders. It had turned its back. Freedom Struggle.
Kannur University had been protesting since Thursday by opposition student unions against its decision to include parts of books by RSS leader MS Golwalkar and Hindu Mahasabha leader VD Savarkar in its postgraduate curriculum.
Mr Vijayan said that no one should glorify reactionary ideologies and leaders who perpetuate such views.
He said that a two-member expert committee has already been appointed to look into the matter and based on the recommendation of the panel, necessary steps would be taken by the university.
“Our stand is clear that we do not glorify the ideas and leaders who turned their back on the freedom struggle. No one should do that. Sometimes, there is a need to critically evaluate reactionary ideologies. But no one should. The government should also not glorify such ideologies. The leaders upheld those views,” Vijayan said at a press conference here.
The Chief Minister said that the university has already appointed a two-member expert committee to probe the matter.
“The university will take necessary steps based on their recommendation,” Mr Vijayan said.
University vice-chancellor Gopinath Raveendran said in the day that the committee, which includes experts from outside the university, has been asked to submit its report within five days and a further decision on the syllabus would be taken after that.
He told the media, “The allegation of saffronisation is completely baseless. If you make such allegations against Kannur University, you can also make similar allegations against Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. VD Savarkar JNU included in the curriculum.”
The vice-chancellor, who has faced intense opposition from the student unions over the issue, said the inclusion of Savarkar and Golwalkar in the curriculum should not be seen as a step of saffronisation.
“When excerpts from his texts are included in the curriculum, there should also be lessons from those representing other ideologies that will help students to compare the two and develop the skills of critical inquiry. This is what is missing here. I feel a lack in this curriculum,” explained Raveendran.
Asked whether Higher Education Minister R Bindu has sought an explanation from him on the issue, the Vice Chancellor said he has already submitted a reply to the government.
The minister told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that it is dangerous to place communal material in the educational curriculum.
Though the university unit of the ruling CPI(M)’s student wing Students Federation of India (SFI) initially did not oppose the curriculum, its state president Sachin Dev on Friday said the organization was against the current curriculum and inclusion. Books of RSS ideologues “unacceptable”.
Earlier in the day, Youth Congress workers stopped the vice-chancellor’s car on the university campus and did not allow him to enter his office, demanding withdrawal of the controversial portion from the syllabus.
They dispersed only after the university authorities informed the formation of an external panel to review the syllabus.
Congress’ student wing Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) student wing Muslim Students Federation (MSF) staged protests on the campus on Thursday over the issue.
According to unions, the university has incorporated parts of Golwalkar’s books including “Bunch of Thoughts” and Savarkar’s “Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?” Are included. in the curriculum of the third semester students of MA Governance and Politics.
The syllabus was not prepared by the Board of Studies but by the teachers of Thalassery Brennan College and it was decided by the Vice-Chancellor, he alleged.
MA Governance and Politics is taught only at Brennan College, Kannur University.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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