New Delhi: Nagpur University’s (NU’s) move to introduce “Bharatiya Janata Party” (BJP) as a topic in its MA history syllabus and remove sections on the Communist Party of India, or CPI, has invited controversy.
Sections on the Jan Sangh and a chapter on the Republican Party from the previous curriculum have also been retained while those on the ‘Congress ally’ Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have been replaced with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) that supports the BJP. Additionally, a chapter on the Khalistan movement has been omitted, the Times of India reported.
According to the report, a new chapter titled “Indian Mass Movements from 1980-2000” focusing on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement has also been included. In 2019, the university faced a similar controversy when it introduced a chapter on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in its BA history’s syllabus for the fourth-semester.
The new syllabus has been drafted by NU Board of Studies (history) chairman Shyam Koretti. “We removed CPI(M) as it is no longer a national party and added BJP, which was not in the old syllabus despite having a national foothold. We have included BJP’s history only till 2010. We cannot teach wrong things to the students,” Koretti said.
Koretti emphasised adherence to the New Education Policy implemented across NU departments this year. He noted the addition of topics on ex-PMs Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in the new syllabus.
Leader of Opposition in the assembly Vijay Wadettiwar criticised the move and said, “They (BJP) are imposing their ideology of casteism, religion and hatred on the citizens. RSS, which founded BJP, never respected women. What is there to teach about BJP?”