'We Condemn The Attempt Of Bodies Like Deoband To Encroach On Our Academic Space

It is a matter of deep distress that a threat from Darul Uloom Deoband has forced Prabha Parmar , a research scholar at the Chaudhary Charan Singh University to change the topic of her post-doctoral research: Use of magic and realism in the major novels of Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth. Taking strong exception to the UGC's decision to award a post-doctoral fellowship to the scholar on a topic that included Rushdie’s writings, Darul Uloom Deoband demanded “immediate remedial steps to correct the high impropriety.” Terming the award an act of ‘glorification’ of Salman Rushdie, the seminary asked for the writer to be blacklisted and for the award to be cancelled with immediate effect.

The atmosphere of fear and intimidation created by this statement led Meerut University to cancel the fellowship. Later the scholar withdrew her research proposal.

This is yet another assault on the space of scholarship and free enquiry which represents the essential character of a university. In recent months there have been many instances of academic institutions succumbing to threats issued by religious and sectarian bodies and withdrawing texts and films or modifying syllabi or curricula to please them. The point at issue is not the controversial nature of the text, because freely debating such texts is the very purpose of intellectual inquiry. Rather, the crucial point is the climate of intimidation and the thinly-disguised threat of violence that informs the language of those making such demands. They constantly remind us that their sentiments are inflamed enough to spark off bloodshed. They crush the spirit of inquiry by intimidating those who disagree with them. They assume the fake title of representatives of this or that community to enforce their claims. And our spineless authorities allow them to do this with impunity. This time it is the Deoband ulema who have claimed yet another academic victim.

We condemn the attempt of bodies like Deoband to encroach on our academic space. It is time for all Indian academicians and intellectuals who believe in the freedom of thought to firmly defend our right to free enquiry and the pursuit of knowledge. We appeal to Meerut University and the UGC to stand by the scholar and encourage her to pursue her research on a topic of her choice.

Signed:
1. Aditya Nigam, CSDS
2. Amlan Dasgupta, Jadavpur Unv
3. Aniket Alam, Senior Assistant Editor, Economic and Political Weekly.
4. Anita Cherian
5. Apoorvanand , Professor, DU
6. Arma Ansari, ANHAD
7. Arshad Ajmal, Sahulat, Delhi
8. Asha Bhagat
9. Ashok Vajpeyi, poet, writer
10. Biraj Patnaik, Right To Food campaign
11. Dhruva Narayan, Managing Editor, Daanish Books
12. Dilip Simeon
13. Furqan Qamar, VC Central Unv of Himachal Pradesh
14. Gauhar Raza, scientist, poet
15. Gautam Bhan
16. Harsh Kapoor
17. Irfan Khalifa, television journalist
18. Ishwar Dost , Asst. Prof., CSSEIP, Goa University.
19. J Devika, Centre for development studies, Trivandrum, Kerala.
20. Jairus Banaji
21. Jamal Kidwai
22. Jyoti Punwani
23. Jyotirmay Sharma
24. Kausar Wizarat
25. Kavita Panjabi, Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla
26. Kavita Srivastava, PUCL National Secretary
27. Khairunnisa Pathan, Parwaaj
28. Khurshid Anwar
29. Mahmood Farooqui, Dastango
30. Mahtab Alam, civil rights activist and journalist
31. Manoj Mitta, Journalist
32. Mary E John,
33. Mehtab Alam
34. Moinak Biswas
35. Momin Latif
36. Mukul Sharma, Writer and Researcher
37. Musab Iqbal, Editor, newzfirst.com
38. Naseem Mansuri, Niswan
39. Naseem Shaikh, Niswan
40. Nasiruddin Haider Khan, Journalist
41. Naveen Kishore
42. Nayanjot Lahiri, professor, DU
43. Nilanjana Gupta, Professor of English, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
44. Nirantar, Resource Centre for Gender & Education
45. Nivedita Menon, JNU
46. Noorjahan Ansari, Niswan
47. Noorjahan Diwan, ANHAD
48. Omair Anas,cwas/sis jnu
49. Parthasarthi Bahumik, Jadavpur Unv
50. Prof Rama Kant Agnihotri (Rtd., Univ of Delhi)
51. Purwa Bharadwaj
52. Ramachandra Guha
53. Rehana Qureshi, Nyayagrah
54. Rohan D'Souza
55. S.Irfan Habib, historian
56. Satya Shivaramn
57. Satish Deshpande, DSE, DU
58. Semeen Ali
59. Shabnam Hashmi, social activist, Anhad
60. Shakeel Shaikh, Ahmedabad
61. Shamina Diwan, Parwaaj
62. Sharifa Chhipa, Niswan
63. Sheba George, Sahr waru, Gujarat
64. Shivam Vij, journalist, Delhi
65. Shuddhabrata Sengupta, artist/writer
66. Sohail Hashmi, Writer, Film Makerli
67. Sucheta Bhattacharjee
68. Usman Shaikh, Nyayagrah
69. Waqar Qazi, Social Activist, Anhad, Gujarat
70. Zafar Syed, banker, Mumbai