Protest over removal of Mistrys novel from syllabus

Updated on: Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Group activists in the national capital demanded removal of Mumbai University’s vice chancellor Rajan Welukar. This was in response to the removal of author Rohinton Mistry's novel 'Such a Long Journey' from the syllabus of the University of Bombay.

Coming together under the umbrella of Sahmat (Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust), eminent activists like Ram Rahman, M.K. Raina, Indira Chandrasekhar, Parthiv Shah and Madangopal Singh, called the act a blatant capitulation to the threat of mob violence and a serious assault on the autonomy of our academic institutions.

A statement from Sahmat read, "The vice chancellor has acted without due attention to the procedures prescribed under the university rules. He has to be severely sanctioned for this shocking neglect of his responsibilities to the academic community and to the student body of Mumbai."

The book was removed from the English literature syllabus after Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray's son Aditya Thaceray and the party's student union objected to references of the Sena in the book.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also sided by the Sena and called the contents of the book highly objectionable."We equally condemn Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's thoroughly opportunistic statement denouncing the supposedly 'offensive' language of the Mistry novel," Sahmat added.

Protest over removal of Mistrys novel from syllabus

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