Recording & presenting History

ABVP activists recently ransacked the History department of Delhi University over inclusion of a piece entitled "Three hundred Ramayanas"in the recommended readings for B.A. students, which they claimed hurt the feelings of Hindus. The action was rightly condemned by the academic community since the activists chose violence over debate to settle an issue. The sense of outrage felt by them is also understandable since the attack was seen as an attempt to restrict academic freedom to pursue religious and mythological subjects. The objection, after all, was to description of Three Hundred Ramayanas with interesting differences in content and style. Those who took offense neither challenged the sources nor the content in substantive terms and referred only to "rumors" to malign their faith. The fact that the History department of University of Delhi is headed by a Muslim scholar and the interpolation of the name of the PM's daughter in the list as an editor were sufficient grounds to launch the offensive. The fact that the essay was written by a Hindu scholar of repute, who is no more to defend his writing, was neither known nor cared for.
However, two facts cannot be wished away. One, academic freedom to pursue subjects, especially involving faiths of people must be exercised with sensitively. The chief of a religious sect among Sikhs faced the ire of the entire community and the State government for merely dressing up like the last Guru. There is no dearth of similar variations, like the ones portrayed in Ramayana, in other faiths. Most faiths have descended down the ages through telling of tales and lack authentic documentation. For instance, Christianity has several testaments and a particular sect from Kerala had to conduct its Sunday Mass in a Balmiki temple in Central Delhi when thrown out of a nearby church over religious differences. Shias and Sunnis too have had conflicting beliefs in Islam and are have been at loggerheads for ages . The learned historians must be aware of many more instances from our rich and varied heritage but did one ever find their echoes in the text books of Delhi University? And that too at the undergraduate level when the students are just out of school and the minds immature? While research in theology is normal, controversial content at
B.A. level may not be. Now that tempers have cooled down a little, the academic fraternity should ponder over the issue and treat religious issues with greater sensitivity and caution. Academic freedom, like any other freedom, cannot be absolute and must be tempered with sensitivity.