Students and activists gathered outside Delhi University’s (DU) Academic Council meeting today to protest the proposed inclusion of Manusmriti in the undergraduate law program.
The protest, organized by the All India Students’ Association (AISA), aims to reject what they call the brahminisation and saffronisation of education, read a press release issued to The Kashmiriyat.
Despite media reports suggesting the proposal had been dropped, it remains listed in the meeting agenda’s annexure.
“The move to introduce Manusmriti follows a series of controversial syllabus changes perceived as efforts to saffronise education from kindergarten to postgraduate levels,” AISA stated in a press release.
In recent years, DU has faced criticism for introducing Savarkar in the BA Political Science syllabus and removing prominent figures such as Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal, author Mahasweta Devi, and Tamil Dalit feminist writers Bama Faustina Soosairaj and Sukirtharani. Additionally, works by historians R.S. Sharma and Irfan Habib have been excluded from the curriculum.
AISA activists, along with DU students, began their protest at 11 AM, demanding an end to what they describe as gross syllabus changes and the imposition of a casteist curriculum.
A spokesperson for AISA stated, “We are here to oppose the saffronisation and casteism being forced into our educational system. The inclusion of Manusmriti in our law syllabus is a step backwards.”
The protestors have called on media representatives to join and amplify their cause, highlighting the urgency and importance of preserving a diverse and inclusive educational environment at DU.