MP Govt Wants To Arrest College Principal For A Book Found In Library, SC Asks Are You Serious?

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud slammed the Madhya Pradesh government's plea challenging the anticipatory bail plea of a college principal and asked the state to do "more important stuff."

The court was hearing a plea by the former principal of Indore's Government New Law College, Dr Inamur Rahman, seeking protection in relation to an FIR registered over an alleged "Hinduphobic" book found in the library, LiveLaw reported. Rahman was granted interim protection on December 16, 2022, by the court after the Madhya Pradesh High Court refused him interim anticipatory bail.

Rahman was forced to resign after members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s youth wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, began a movement against a book in the college’s library, late last year. The volume, Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System by Sheetal Kanwal and Farhat Khan was ‘Hinduphobic,’ the body claimed. The co-authors and Amar Law Publication are arraigned as accused too, in the case, reported LiveLaw.

A report published in The Wire earlier stated that ABVP has objected to statements in the book like, “Hindu communalism is emerging as a destructive ideology. Hindu outfits, including VHP [Vishwa Hindu Parishad], want to establish a Hindu-majority state and want to enslave other communities.” It also mentions the Shiv Sena and expresses concern over the dilution of Article 370 of the Indian constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Rahman had also clarified that he had little to do with the book’s selection for the library anyway. “I was appointed Principal in 2019, while this particular book has been in the college library since 2014,” he was quoted by NDTV as having said.

“State must do some more serious stuff. He is a College Principal. Why you are arresting him? A book is found in the library which is said to have some communal undertones. Therefore he is sought to be arrested?. The book was purchased in 2014. And he is sought to be arrested? Are you serious?” the CJI asked the state counsel, according to LiveLaw.

The Government Law College in question is the same that on December 1 took six teachers off duty temporarily ordering a judicial inquiry after ABVP accused them of “offering namaaz on Fridays and not taking classes then, promoting fundamentalism, ‘negative thoughts’ on the government and Army, along with ‘love jihad’ and non-vegetarianism," The Wire reported.