DU essay debate: teachers, academics protest

Oct 24, 2011 |

New Delhi

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Delhi University

Teachers and students of different colleges of Delhi University on Monday took to the streets condemning the varsity's decision to remove A. K. Ramanujan's essay on Ramayana, with some dubbing it a ‘fascist’ move while pro-BJP outfit labelling it as an ‘attack’ on academic freedom.

The group comprising representatives from pro-Left organisations, academics of history and other subjects and students took out a protest march starting from the Arts Faculty and touching colleges like Kirorimal, Hindu and St Stephens before concluding at the office of the Vice Chancellor to whom a memorandum was submitted.

Carrying placards that read 'Resist Saffronisation of Higher Education' and 'Mr VC Stop Implementing the Dictates of the Right Wing Goons', the protesters shouted slogans against what they called an ‘attack’ on history.

"This is a very scary and an extremely frightening moment for us. This has set in place a precedent that is fearsome," said History Prof Sunil Kumar on the University Academic Council's recent decision to remove the essay 'Three Hundred Ramayanas' from History syllabus.

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