WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46806
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 in the 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.
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 in the 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.
NOTE PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI,
IN ITS MEETING OF 04/02/2008
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: University of California Press, 1991]. The said essay is one of the readings for the Delhi University concurrent course on Ancient Indian Culture in the B. A. (Honours) programme, which has been offered in several Colleges from July 2006 onwards.
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.
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.
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 photocopies 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.
Peace is doable.
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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
-Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190
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