Delhi University’s two-decade-old, reference book has evoked reaction from the family of Bhagat Singh who have approached the HRD Ministry, demanding correction in the book which refers Bhagat Singh as a “revolutionary terrorist”. In a letter to HRD Minister Smriti Irani and while meeting the varsity’s Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Tyagi, the family has called for attention to the issue. They have requested Irani to intervene for directing the varsity to make “appropriate changes in the textbook.
The book titled India’s Struggle for Independence, authored by noted historian Bipin Chadra and Mridula Mukherjee, mentions Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Surya Sen and others as “revolutionary terrorists” in Chapter 20. The book also calls the Chittagong movement a ‘terrorist act’, while Sanders killing has been called an ‘act of terrorism’.
Tyagi who met the family on Wednesday has assured them of “looking into the matter at the earliest”.
“Though the book is old…it is possible that no one took cognisance of the issue till now but the family has drawn my attention to it. We will look into the matter and see what and how the issue could be resolved,” Tyagi told The Pioneer. He, however denied that the book has been published by any professor of the DU. “The book is taught as a reference book in our history department but is not a text book or published or authored by DU professor.”
Meanwhile, BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Wednesday raised in the lok Sabha the issue of a book forming part of Delhi University curriculum which, he said, describes Bhagat Singh a “revolutionary terrorist” and a Congress leader as “charismatic”.
Thakur while mentioning the book in lok Sabha demanded a debate on what is being taught in the educational institutions across the country.
While talking to media here, the freedom fighter’s nephew Abhey Singh Sandhu expressed worry saying that “it is avery sad precedent that even after 68 years of Independence such words are used for the revolutionaries, who gave their lives for the freedom of the nation.” “The Britishers, who hanged Bhagat Singh, described him as ‘true revolutionary’ in their judgement, even they didn’t use words like terror or terrorism. Using such words for revolutionaries in an attempt to stir controversy is very unfortunate,” he further added.