A government university in Tamil Nadu has removed leftist writer Arundhati Roy's book 'Walking with the Comrades' from her MA English course.
The decision to remove the book written on the Maoists was taken after complaints of several others including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organization associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). They all alleged that the rebels have been glorified in this book and its contents are anti-national.
The book was added to the third semester for MA English Literature students in 2017-18 in colleges affiliated to Manomaniyam Sundaranar University (MSU), Tirunelveli. Vice-Chancellor of MSU Pichhumani said, last week we received a written complaint from ABVP. Later many other people also complained about this book.
Also, we received complaints from our syndicate members. He said that in these complaints, the book was informed about the content in the book and they wanted to remove it from the syllabus for the students.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, a committee of senior scholars was then assigned the case. The former and current chairman of the Board of Studies who designed this course was also part of this committee.
He said, the committee met on Wednesday, and, considering the sensitive nature of the book, it was decided to remove it from the syllabus. In place of this book, Padmashree M. Krishnan's 'My Native Land, Essay on Nature' has been included in the syllabus. This change has been implemented with immediate effect. Vice-Chancellor said this decision will be approved in the Standing Committee of Academic Affairs of the university.
Opposition opposes BJP in support
The opposition parties DMK and CPI (ML) have opposed the move of the state government. But the BJP has supported the demand of ABVP. In a tweet, Kanimozhi, secretary and MP of DMK's women's wing, said, "Deciding on 'what is art, what is literature and what students should read' 'about power and politics will destroy the pluralistic feature of society.
CPI (Male) MP S.K. Venkatesan said in the tweet, "The removal of the book is condemnable and want this step to be taken back". Tamil Nadu Progressive Writer and Artists Association general secretary Adhavan Dhitchanya has also condemned the removal of the book from the syllabus.
BJP Mahila Morcha national president Vanti Srinivasan supported the ABVP and said that it was not just an organization that demanded the removal of Arundhati Roy's book from the syllabus.