Responding to the petition by some of the right wing scholars asking Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy’s son Rohan Murthy to sack Sanskrit scholar and historian Sheldon Pollock from the post of chief editor at the Murty Classical library, Rohan Murthy said firmly no to their demand. He also said he wants to put an end to this controversy by saying Sheldon Pollock would continue to stay as chief editor, adding that he has been crucial to the success of the library and will continue to be on the board in the future.
He said, “It is quite rich to sit in the peanut gallery, pass comments and throw empty shells at those who are actually rolling their sleeves up and working on the ground. I doubt if these people have read even a single book that we have published. I want to hear in which book we have published, in which line or page there is a problem, and in what context, and why.” Pollock had come under criticism from a section of intellectuals for apparently endorsing the views of British historian Thomas Macaulay and German sociologist Max Weber that the Indian shastras “serve no contemporary purpose except for the study of how Indians express themselves”.
As the country is facing a crucial debate on nationalism, sedition and other social conflicts, Rohan Murthy has come out in his support and endorsed Sheldn to continue as Chief Editor.
Professor Pollock came under fire after he signed a petition supporting Jawaharlal Nehru Students, a counter-petition pedalled by several academicians has sought for Pollock’s removal from the Murty Classical library.
Rohan said, “Some people have taken Sheldon Pollock’s speech from 2012 and doctored it. Some websites have carried stories about this. If there are people out there who are resorting to this just to defame Professor Pollock then that is worrying. They are free to disagree with me or Pollock, but if they become disagreeable, then it becomes difficult.”
“In the six years after the launch of Murty library, no one has come to me pointing out flaws. None of these people who have signed this petition have approached me. We are open to constructive criticism,” he said.
In fact more than 130 professors and academicians across the country have demanded to sack Sheldon Pollock from the post of mentor and chief editor of Murthy classical library because he supported the JNU protest.
These personalities from various institutions across the country have signed an online petition to Infosys founder and chief mentor NR Narayana Murthy and his son Rohan Murthy who have set up the classical library.
listing out their arguments against Pollock, the petitioners said he is a prominent signatory of two recent statements released by US academicians condemning the actions of the JNU authorities and the Government of India against separatist groups who are calling for the independence of Kashmir, and for India’s breakup.
The Murty Classical library of India aims to make available the great literary works of India from the past two millennia. Set up by Harvard University Press with the help of a personal endowment in 2010 by Rohan Murty, the library aims to publish as many as 500 books over the course of the century.
Among those who are signatory to the petition include Prof. K.Ramasubramanian from Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay; Prof. Ramesh C Bhardwaj , Head, Department of Sanskrit from Delhi University; Dr Kapil Kapoor and Former Pro Vice Chancellor, JNU, New Delhi, among others. eom/blr