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Expert panel to probe “distortions” in Ramayana textbook: court

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked an Expert Committee, constituted by Delhi University, to go into allegations of distortions and derogatory portrayal of characters in the Ramayana textbook prescribed for B.A. History (Honours).

A Bench consisting of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices P. Sathasivam and J.M. Panchal said if the committee had not submitted its report to the Vice-Chancellor, it should hear petitioner Dinanath Batra, educationist, and give its report to the VC, who would place it before the Academic Council or any other competent body to take a decision on the report.

The Bench gave liberty to Mr. Batra and seven other petitioners, to approach the court if they were not satisfied with the action taken on the report.

Mr. Batra and the others, including lecturers, a former Ambassador, a Pro-Vice Chancellor, a principal and a journalist, questioned the action of the university in prescribing ‘Three Hundred Ramayanas,’ written by A.K. Ramanujan and containing “derogatory and objectionable references” to Hanuman, Lakshmana and Sita.

Senior counsel M. N. Krishnamani, appearing for the petitioners, said it was a distortion of the Ramayana to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus who worship the characters in the epic as gods and goddesses. By prescribing the textbook, the university had wounded Hindu sentiments, he said.

A “distortion”

Counsel said: “A different yardstick is adopted if something relating to other religions causes a controversy. It is because Hindus are tolerant and considerate anything can be allowed to be published against their faith and religion. What sort of textbook has been given by the university to its students?”

Counsel said a Division Bench of the High Court had issued notice to the university and accordingly the Expert Committee was constituted. However, when the matter came up before another Bench, it dismissed the petition. The petitioners moved the apex court against the High Court order dismissing their plea seeking a ban on the book.

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