DU Admin rejects proposal to include Manusmriti in law course
Delhi University administration has kept aside a proposal to include reading of Manusmriti as part of the law course LLB.
New Delhi: Delhi University administration has kept aside a proposal to include reading of Manusmriti as part of the law course LLB.
"Today a proposal by the Faculty of Law was submitted to the Delhi University. In the proposal, they had suggested changes in the paper titled Jurisprudence. One of the changes was to include readings on Manusmriti", DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh said in a video message shared by the varsity Thursday.
"We have rejected both the suggested readings and the amendments proposed by the Faculty. Nothing of this sort will be taught to students," he said.
Manusmriti or the 'Law of Manu' is considered in a very high esteem by Hindus. But it has also been criticized by noted jurists and scholars. Among them is also Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who held Manusmriti responsible for caste system in India. Dr Ambedkar had burnt Manusmriti on December 25, 1927 in protest of the caste system which discriminates Dalits and people from the so called lower castes.
VC clarifies after uproar
The Vice Chancellor’s clarification came after uproar over reports of inclusion of Manusmriti in DU law faculty syllabus. It was reported that the proposal to include Manusmriti in DU syllabus was as per the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Attacking the Centre over the proposal to teach ‘Manusmriti’ in Delhi University, Congress alleged that the move was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “salami tactics” to bring fulfilment to the decades-long attempt by the RSS to “assault” the Constitution.
The Social Democratic Teachers Front also wrote a protest letter to the Vice Chancellor.
“It has come to our knowledge that Manusmriti has been recommended to students as ‘suggested readings’ which is highly objectionable as this text is adverse to the progress and education of women and marginalised communities. Introduction of any section or part of Manusmriti is against the basic structure and principles of the Indian Constitution”, the teachers’ body said.
On Friday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also assured there was no plan to include Manusmriti in Delhi University syllabus.
“There is no endorsement of any such proposal in the proper authentic body of academic council… Yesterday only, Vice Chancellor rejected that proposal,” he said.
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