Saraswati origin piques Panjab University interest, peeves few
Vishakha Chaman | TNN | Apr 21, 2019, 13:25 IST
Panjab UniversityCHANDIGARH: Two months after hosting an international conference on Saraswati, Panjab University (PU) is planning to establish a "research chair" to study the existence of the river, raising several eyebrows.
The department of history in a presentation before vice-chancellor Prof Raj Kumar , who is known to have close links with RSS, recently proposed setting up the Saraswati chair besides a Kalhan and Maharana Pratap Chair - an idea that has come under flak. "There should be research on history but mythology should not be treated as history," said senate member Rabinder Nath Sharma. Raj Kumar was appointed as PU VC in July 2018.
However, professor Anju Suri, chairperson, department of history, denied political agenda behind establishing the chair. "We know many scientific developments are taking place regarding the origin of the Saraswati and its journey. The department in collaboration with Haryana Saraswati Board had organized an international conference in February. We found that many lost facts about the Saraswati are being established through historical and scientific knowledge. We found that whether it is Ramayana or Mahabharata, literature talks about the Saraswati. We thought we can also contribute in our way to establish the fact and reconfirm the facts that are brought to light and that is the purpose with which we proposed this chair," said Suri.
Emphasising that the department's only interest is in historical research, Suri said during the conference, there were people establishing the facts about the Saraswati from the Rig Veda and Mahabharata also. "As far as department of history is concerned, we have no political agenda. We are only interested in historical research. It is purely historical research. This conference has led us to propose this chair," she added.
"Unless this comes from the Centre, arts faculty, department and then through proper procedure to the syndicate and senate, no decision or announcement can be made. If any announcement is made arbitrarily by the vice-chancellor, it will be totally opposed. It will not be allowed to be pushed through," said senate member Prof Chaman Lal.
The department of history in a presentation before vice-chancellor Prof Raj Kumar , who is known to have close links with RSS, recently proposed setting up the Saraswati chair besides a Kalhan and Maharana Pratap Chair - an idea that has come under flak. "There should be research on history but mythology should not be treated as history," said senate member Rabinder Nath Sharma. Raj Kumar was appointed as PU VC in July 2018.
However, professor Anju Suri, chairperson, department of history, denied political agenda behind establishing the chair. "We know many scientific developments are taking place regarding the origin of the Saraswati and its journey. The department in collaboration with Haryana Saraswati Board had organized an international conference in February. We found that many lost facts about the Saraswati are being established through historical and scientific knowledge. We found that whether it is Ramayana or Mahabharata, literature talks about the Saraswati. We thought we can also contribute in our way to establish the fact and reconfirm the facts that are brought to light and that is the purpose with which we proposed this chair," said Suri.
Emphasising that the department's only interest is in historical research, Suri said during the conference, there were people establishing the facts about the Saraswati from the Rig Veda and Mahabharata also. "As far as department of history is concerned, we have no political agenda. We are only interested in historical research. It is purely historical research. This conference has led us to propose this chair," she added.
"Unless this comes from the Centre, arts faculty, department and then through proper procedure to the syndicate and senate, no decision or announcement can be made. If any announcement is made arbitrarily by the vice-chancellor, it will be totally opposed. It will not be allowed to be pushed through," said senate member Prof Chaman Lal.
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