ABVP protest against derogatory remarks over Hindu gods in DU course

Activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Thursday went on a hunger strike to protest extracts from an essay recommended for reading in a history course at the undergraduate level of the Delhi University, which they claim are objectionable remarks against the Lord Rama.

New Delhi, Feb 28 : Activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Thursday went on a hunger strike to protest extracts from an essay recommended for reading in a history course at the undergraduate level of the Delhi University, which they claim are objectionable remarks against the Lord Rama.

Protesters raised slogans and went around carrying banners and demanded the removal of objectionable contents from the syllabus.

"In the Delhi University's B.A honours History syllabus, derogatory comments about Lord Ram and Sita has been made," regional minister ABVP Sunil Kumar said.

"In a particular chapter, it is mentioned that Sita was Ravan's daughter, Laxman and Ravan had illicit relation with Sita. A lot of derogatory comments have been made about Lord Hanuman too," Kimar added.

Meanwhile the Delhi University's teachers and students staged a dharna (protest) in front of Vice Chancellor's office to protest the acts of vandalism committed by members of the ABVP.

"The University has a democratic procedure for setting up and revising courses. If they want to short circuit that means they are hitting at the basic principles of the University, which is the autonomy of teaching and learning. It should not have Governmental intervention," said Pravhu Mahapatra, Teacher.

On February 25, activists of the ABVP had stormed into the chamber of the Head of History Department and roughed him up.

The students protested against the inclusion of a collection of essays by A.K. Ramanujan - "Three Hundred Ramayans" - in one of the undergraduate courses, claiming that the publication distorted ancient culture.

ANI