New Delhi: Over 250 university teachers and eminent scholars of the country objected to a question raised in Rajya Sabha on March 22, 2023, regarding a “Pakistani author’s book prescribed at an educational institution in the country”.A joint statement condemning such “censorship” has been issued by teachers and scholars. Those included in the list of signatories are eminent historian Romila Thapar, Professor Satish Deshpande, Professor Apoorvanand, Professor Ayesha Kidwai, Professor Nandini Sundar, Professor Partha Chatterjee, Professor Zoya Hasan, among others.“Education should teach students to engage with whatever appears as “insulting” or “derogatory” and respond to it with verbal argumentation, rather than refusing to hear it, or worse, considering it a crime to be met with threats of censorship and violence,” the signatories of the statement said.The question under focus was asked by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, Harinath Singh Yadav, and came up in the Rajya Sabha on March 22, 2023. “Whether Government has taken cognizance of the fact that a book by Pakistani author is being taught at Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia or any other educational institution in the country and the language is derogatory to Indian citizens and also supports terrorism; if so, the details thereof, and whether Government should consider to scrutinize the contents of textbooks written by the said Pakistani author and take action against the persons responsible for the same? (sic),” the question read.The University Grants Commission (UGC) on March 16 had sent out a letter to university registrars and central universities seeking information on the question that was to be answered in the Rajya Sabha.The joint statement observed that the question was “deliberately ambiguous” without mentioning the specifics about the author and book. “Surely this is not simply an error? For leaving the book unnamed allows the question to be read as suggesting that any book by any Pakistani author that might possibly be read as being ‘derogatory to Indian citizens’ and ‘supporting terrorism’ must not be taught in any Indian university; that teaching any such book will result in punitive action and perhaps criminal charges being lodged against teachers,” the statement said.The signatories said such “punitive threats” prevent discussion or dialogue regarding textbooks chosen for particular courses. “It assumes that a teacher who assigns a reading must agree with all the arguments of the assigned text. But teachers do not present texts—especially works of fiction or even historical accounts – as if they were gospel truth. It is more often the case that syllabi are made, especially in the Humanities and the Social Sciences, to expose students to varied historical and cultural perspectives. Our role as teachers is precisely to encourage students to discuss, question and learn about these perspectives, not to endorse or follow them uncritically.”The statement further goes on to say, “The government can best fulfil its constitutional mandate and create democratic spaces by fostering the autonomy of educational institutions, empowering faculty, and encouraging debate, critical thought, and discussion on all possible topics. This is best served by exposing students to as wide-ranging a set of resources as possible, including books, articles, and films. Neither the national origin nor the views expressed in such texts should become reasons for excluding them.”§Reproduced below is the full statement and the list of signatories:A statement regarding a Rajya Sabha question about ‘Pakistani author’s book’ We write as concerned teachers and scholars who are or have been affiliated with Indian institutions of higher education. This statement is with reference to a letter sent by the University Grants Commission to the Registrar, All Central Universities, on March 16, 2023 regarding a Parliament Question. The “Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 227 to be answered on 22.03.2023 regarding ‘Pakistani Author’s Book Prescribed at Educational Institution in the Country’” asks “Whether Government has taken cognizance of the fact that a book by Pakistani author is being taught at Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia or any other educational institution in the country and the language is derogatory to Indian citizens and also supports terrorism; if so, the details thereof, and whether Government should consider to scrutinize the contents of textbooks written by the said Pakistani author and take action against the persons responsible for the same?” Educational institutions are directed to furnish this information to the UGC.The question is alarming for several reasons:1) The language of the question can only be read as being deliberately ambiguous. While it appears that a specific book by a specific author is the subject of the question, neither the author nor the book is named. Surely this is not simply an error? For leaving the book unnamed allows the question to be read as suggesting that any book by any Pakistani author that might possibly be read as being “derogatory to Indian citizens” and “supporting terrorism” must not be taught in any Indian university; that teaching any such book will result in punitive action and perhaps criminal charges being lodged against teachers. The letter from the UGC has the subject line “Pakistani Author’s Book Prescribed at Educational Institution in the Country,” which turns the parliament question into a pretext to collect information on and place under suspicion all books by Pakistani writers discussed in Indian universities.2) The punitive threat mentioned at the end of the note seems to foreclose any possibility of discussion or dialogue regarding textbooks chosen for particular courses. It assumes that a teacher who assigns a reading must agree with all the arguments of the assigned text. But teachers do not present texts—especially works of fiction or even historical accounts—as if they were gospel truth. It is more often the case that syllabi are made, especially in the Humanities and the Social Sciences, to expose students to varied historical and cultural perspectives. Our role as teachers is precisely to encourage students to discuss, question and learn about these perspectives, not to endorse or follow them uncritically.3) Whether in the sciences or the humanities, scholarship has always been a site of contestation, argument and criticism. Our cultural and historical texts are filled with images and references that might well be perceived as derogatory by various groups (for example, by Dalits, women, the disabled, people of different religions or regions, and so on), yet we cannot, on that account, stop teaching all such texts. On the contrary, such images must be openly and critically discussed in the classroom, if only to think about them more seriously and hence avoid their habitual replication.4) Keeping all this in mind, our position, broadly stated, is as follows:(i) Education should teach students to engage with whatever appears as “insulting” or “derogatory” and respond to it with verbal argumentation, rather than refusing to hear it, or worse, considering it a crime to be met with threats of censorship and violence.(ii) Any remark that is perceived by the listener as insulting or disparaging does not necessarily constitute “terrorism.” Making such connections automatically is precisely the kind of thoughtlessness that education tries to undo. In fact, any education worth the name must teach students to be constantly attentive to the specificity of concepts, ideas, and actions.(iii) The government can best fulfil its constitutional mandate and create democratic spaces by fostering the autonomy of educational institutions, empowering faculty, and encouraging debate, critical thought, and discussion on all possible topics. This is best served by exposing students to as wide ranging a set of resources as possible, including books, articles and films. Neither national origin nor the views expressed in such texts should become reasons for excluding them.(iv) Attempts to continually link central universities with identifiably Muslim associations, such as Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia, with “terrorism,” must be resisted in every possible way. Not doing so will only endanger our own lives, the lives of our children, and, perhaps more importantly, the very possibility of a future world in which difference and equality may coexist.We truly hope that Rajya Sabha members and everyone who understands the critical role of education in the future of a country will take some time to think about the issues we have raised above. The matter comes up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on 22.3.2023.Sincerely,Romila Thapar, Professor Emerita, JNUNandita Narain, St. Stephen’s CollegeSatish Deshpande, University of DelhiApoorvanand, Professor, Delhi UniversityAyesha Kidwai, Professor, JNUG. Arunima, Director, Kerala Council for Historical Research, TrivandrumIra Raja, Professor, Delhi UniversityJanaki Nair, Former Professor, JNUKumkum Roy, Former Professor, JNULakshmi Subramanian, Honorary Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, CalcuttaMary E. John, Former Professor, Center for Women’s Development StudiesMridu Rai, Professor, Presidency University, KolkataNandini Sundar, Professor, Delhi UniversityPartha Chatterjee, Honorary Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, CalcuttaAbha Dev Habib, Miranda House, University of DelhiSimona Sawhney, Associate Professor, IIT-DelhiSukanta Chaudhuri, Professor Emeritus, Jadavpur UniversitySumit Sarkar, Former Professor, Delhi UniversitySupriya Chaudhuri, Professor Emerita, Jadavpur UniversityTanika Sarkar, Former Professor, JNUUdaya Kumar, Professor, JNUZoya Hasan, Professor Emerita, JNUS.NoName:Academic Affiliation 1 Ratna RamanProfessor, Sri Venkateswara College, DU2 Vaishali K SProfessor , Department of English , Bangalore University, Bangalore3A Soheb VahabDelhi University4A. Giridhar RaoAzim Premji University5Aakash YadavCurrently pursuing MA in Ancient History from Centre for Historical Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University.6Aamir ShiekhPhD Scholar IIT Bombay7Abhijit RoyJadavpur University8Abhishek PanthJawaharlal Nehru University9Ajanta DuttDelhi University10Ajith CherianWriting Instructor, IIT Delhi11Akhileshwari RamagoudJournalist and Academic12Alka AcharyaJawaharlal Nehru University13Amar YumnamEx VC (I/C), Manipur University14Amber HabibProfessor, Shiv Nadar University15ameet parameswaranJNU16Amit ChaudhuriWriter, Professor of Creative Writing, Ashoka University17Amlan DasguptaFormer Professor, Jadavpur University18Anant PhadkeResearcher19Anil kumarAssociate professor20Anindya SenguptaJadavpur University21Anirudh DeshpandeProfessor, Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, DU.22Anshuman SinghDyal Singh College, University of Delhi23AnuradhaIndependent researcher24Aparna BalachandranUniversity of Delhi25Apoorva TripathiPhD scholar, IIT Delhi26Arathi P MMahatma Gandhi University27ArenPondicherry University28Arijeet MandalJadavpur University29Arka ChattopadhyayIIT Gandhinagar30Arunabha AdhikariWest Bengal State University31Arunabha MisraVisyasagar College, CU32Arwa VadnagarwalaStudent33Ashley N PSt. Stephen’s College, Delhi34Atul SoodJNU, New Delhi35Avinash KumarFaculty, JNU36Aysha JennathPhD student37Baidik BhattacharyaCSDS38BHARATI SUDPOST GRADUATION39BinduAzim Premji University40Bishnupriya DuttJawaharhlal Nehru University41Brahma PrakashAssistant Professor, JNU42Bratati PandeRetired Associate Professor, Indraprastha College. Delhi University43Brinda BoseAssociate Professor, JNU44Chanchal ChakrabortiRetired Associate Professor45Chandan DalawatHarish-Chandra Research Institute46Chitra Joshiindependent historian47Chitra PanikkatBangalore University48D N ReddyUniversity of Hyderabad49D. K. LobiyalJNU50Debaditya BhattacharyaKazi Nazrul University51Debashis GhoshalJNU, New Delhi52Debjani SenguptaIP College, University of Delhi53Deeptha AcharMSU54Deepti BhartiNFIW55DeshdeepTata Institute of Social Sciences56Devaki KhannaNone57Dimple Oberoi Vahaliindependent activist /writer58DiviyaAzim Premji University59Doyeeta MajumderJadavpur University60Dr Mohammed Baber AliKMC,DU61Dr N.H.MullickJamia Millia Islamia62Dr S. p. ThakurEducation should remain untouched from politics.63Dr. Rosemary DzuvichuProfessor, Nagaland University, Kohima Nagaland.64Dr. Shamim AkhtarAMU Aligarh65Dr. Shri PrakashProfessor, ( Retd.) MMAJ-Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi-110025, India66Dr.Dileep RDepartment of Philosophy,Government Brennen College67Dr.Sitanath LahkarRetd.Principal,i/c Cotton College,Guwahati68Dr.Uma ShankarZakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi69Ena PandaDU70Farhat HasanDelhi University71FarooqOU Hyderabad72Furqan QamarJamia Millia Islamia73G TemsenUniversity of Hyderabad74Gaurav SaraswatJNU75GJV PrasadFormer Professor, JNU76Gopal K KadekodiKUD77Hartman de SouzaVisiting Lecturer, St. Mira’s College, P78Hemlata MahishwarJamia Millia Islamia79Himadri BanerjeeJadavpur University, Kolkata80Huzaifa Omair SiddiqiPh.D, JNU81Imrana naseemPhD82Indira ChandrasekharIISc, Founder Editor, Out of Print Magazine83Indra MunshiRetd, professor and Head, Department of sociology, University of Mumbai84Indraner DuttaRetired Professor, OkDISCD and Adjunct Professor Cotton University Guwahati85Indu AgnihotriFormer Professor, Centre for Women’s Development Studies86Ira BhaskarProfessor, JNU87Jai LSIITB88Janaky sreedharanDept of English University of Calicut89Javed Anandnil90Joby JosephUniversity of Hyderabad91Joseph DavisUniversity of Sydney92Joy LK PachuauJNU93Jyoti Jakhar DahiyaMotilal Nehru College, E, University of Delhi94K.LathaAssistant Professor95Karen GabrielSt Stephen’s College, Delhi University96Keval AroraKirori Mal College (Retd)97Lata SinghJNU98M Madhava PrasadRetired.99M. SingsonPondicherry university100Madhu SahniJNU101Madhuja MukherjeeProfessor, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.102Madhusudhan RamanDelhi University103Mahesh ChoudharyCentral University of Rajasthan104MaitreyiMA student, CHS, JNU105Mandakini DubeyAshoka University106Maneesha TanejaAssociate Professor, Delhi University107Manpreet KaurM. Phil108Maroona MurmuProfessor, Jadavpur University109Meenakshi MalhotraHansraj College,University of Delhi110Meera AsharAustralian National University111Meera SagarMiranda House, University of Delhi112Mehak TalwarDelhi University113Mihir PandeyRamjas College, University of Delhi114Milind AwadJNU115Mohinder SinghJawaharlal Nehru University116Mohit GargNon affiliated as of now.117Moinak BiswasJadavpur University118Mollica Dastider, Associate ProfessorJNU119Moushumi BasuJawaharlal Neheu University120Mrinal KaulIIT-Bombay121Mukul ChaturvediZakir Husain College, Delhi University122Mukul MangalikFormer teacher of History, Ramjas College, University of Delhi123N Dastagiri ReddyPondicherry University124N RajaramFormer Professor, Central University of Gujarat125Nandita JayarajNone126Navaneetha MokkilJawaharlal Nehru University127Navnita C BeheraUniversity of Delhi128Nazia AminIITD129Neeladri BhattacharyaFormerly, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University130Nidhi BhandariDelhi University131Nisha BiswasCSIR132Nitya VasudevanAzim Premji University133Nivedita MenonJawaharlal Nehru University134NupurResearch Scholar, IIT Delhi135Padma PrakashUniversity of Toronto136Padmaja ShawOsmania University137Pankaj Kumar JhaUniversity of Delhi138Papori BoraJawaharlal Nehru University139Parnal ChirmuleyJawaharlal Nehru University140Parul Dave MukherjiSAA, JNU141Parvin SinclairRetired from IGNOU142Paulomi ChakrabortyAssociate Professor, IIT-Bombay143Poonam BatraDelhi university144Poonam KaulZakir Husain Delhi College Evening145Prabhu MohapatraProfessor , Deptt of History Delhi University146Pradip kumar DattaJNU (retired professor)147Pragati MohapatraIP College, University of Delhi148Prajval Shastriastrophysicist Bengaluru149PranavJNU150Pranjali BandhuSouth Asia Study Centre, Nilgiris151Prasanta ChakravartyAssociate Professor, University of Delhi152PrathamaCsds153Prem Kumar VijayanHindu College, Delhi University154Probal DasguptaRetired Professor, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata155Prof Asma ParveenAligarh Muslim University156Prof. Ajay Darshan BeheraMMAJ Academy of International Studies157Prof.Mohan RaoFormer professor, JNU.158RadhikaIndependent Researcher159Rahul RoyIndian Statistical Institute160Rajarshi DasguptaJawaharlal Nehru University161Rajeev KunwarDyal Singh College, DU.162Rajni PalriwalaFormerly University of Delhi163Ram Murti SharmaM.A. M.ED164Rama PaulUniversity of Delhi165Rama s. MELKOTEProf. Retd. Osmania University Hyderabad166rameshIIT Bombay167Rani DharkerI was Professor of English at M S University Baroda168Ranjani MazumdarJNU169Ratheesh RadhakrishnanShiv Nadar (Deemed to be) University170Ravi KumarSouth Asian University171Rekha AwasthiRetired associate professor, DU172Rekha BasuRetired teacher.173Renu AroraProfessor in Delhi university174Renu balaDU175Riddhi ShahJNU176Rita KothariProfessor, Ashoka University177Rochelle PintoAzim Premji University178Rohan D’SouzaProfessor, ASAFAS, Kyoto University, Japan179Roopa DhawanDelhi University180Roopashree UResearch Scholar at BU181RUDRASHISH CHAKRABORTYAssociate Professor, Kirori Mal College, DU.182Rukma PrinceAssistant Professor, Azim Premji University183S.Durga BhavaniUniversity of Hyderabad184Sabari G RajanPhD Scholar, University of Hyderabad185Sabeena GadihokeProfessor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi186Sabyasachi ChatterjeeRetired Scientist, Indian Institute of Astrphysics, Bengaluru.187Sachin NAssociate Professor, DSC, University of Delhi188Sadhna AryaRetired Teacher189Saikat GhoshSGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi190SandhyaIIT Hyderabad191SangeetaNone192Sanjaya Kumar BohidarShri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University193SaritaDU194Satish PoduvalProfessor, EFL University, Hyderabad195Saugata BhaduriJNU196Saumyajit BhattacharyaKirori Mal College, University of Delhi197Savithri SinghDelhi University198Shadab BanoAligarh Muslim University199Shafey KidwaiAligarh Muslim University200Shahana BhattacharyaDelhi University201ShaliniLNMU202Shambhavi PrakashJawaharlal Nehru University203Shamsul IslamAssociate Professor, University of Delhi (RTD)204Sharad BaviskarJNU205sharmilaIIT Bombay206Shaswati MazumdarDelhi University (Retd)207Sheuli ChowdhuryDU208Shifa HaqAmbedkar University Delhi209Shikha JhinganJNU210Shikha KapurProfessor, Jamia Millia Islamia211Shobha MBangalore University212Shohini GhoshProfessor, Jamia Millia Islamia213Shukla SawantProfessor JNU214Shyista Aamir KhanDyal Singh College, Univ. of Delhi215Sibaji BandyopadhyayFormer Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC)216Sipra MukherjeeWest Bengal State University217Smita GandotraAssociate Professor, St. Stephen’s College218Smita GuptaEconomist and activist219Smita MittraDelhi College of Arts and Commerce220Soma MandalIndian Institute of Technology, Delhi221Soumyabrata ChoudhuryAssociate Professor, JNU222SrabaniPhD, CHS, JNU223Srikanth KUniversity of Hyderabad224Stuti KhannaAssociate Professor, IIT Delhi225Subhash GatadeNew Socialist Initiative226Sucharita SenJNU227Suchetana ChattopadhyayProfessor of History, Jadavpur University228Sujata PatelRetired Professor, University of Hyderabad229Sumit ChakrabartiPresidency University230Sunalini KumarAmbedkar University Delhi231Supriya VarmaProfessor, Azim Premji University232Surajit MazumdarProfessor, JNU233Susie TharuFormer Professor, EFL University234Swathy MargaretTTWRDC Jadcherla235Swati Mohana KrishnanAmbedkar University, Delhi (AUD)236T TollIIT Delhi237T.V MadhuProfessor, University of Calicut238Tapati Guha ThakurtaHonorary Professor, CSSSC239Thanuja MPondicherry University240The question shows an apparent inherent bias. The whole purpose of an education in humanities is to encourage critical thinking and for students to be able to engage in discussions about texts sans prejudice.Stella Maris College241Themeem TAsst. Professor , St Stephen’s College, Delhi242Vaivab DasFulbright Nehru Doctoral Research Fellow, IIT Delhi243Veena NaregalInstitute of Economic Growth244Veena ShatrugnaMedical Scientist (Rtd)245Vibhuti PatelRetired Professor from TISS, Mumbai246Vidya Das AroraGargi College, Delhi University. Retired247Viju KurianBaselius College Kottayam248Vinay SankarBITS Pilani Hyderabad campus, Hyderabad249VrijendraRetired250Y. S. Alone ProfessorSchool of Arts and Aesthetics JNU New Delhi251Yousuf SaeedIndependent filmmaker252Ziya Us SalamPG