DU stops sale, distribution of Bipan Chandra's book which calls Bhagat Singh terrorist

The Delhi University has stopped sale and distribution of the book India's Struggle for Independence by late historian Bipan Chandra, following objections to revolutionaries of Indian freedom struggle being mentioned as terrorists.

The English edition of the book - printed by Penguin publishers in 1988 - would, however, remain on the shelves.

The Hindi version has been stopped as it had been translated and published by DU's Directorate of Hindi Medium Implementation in 1990 on the recommendation of the History Department.

HRD minister Smriti Irani too had called the reference as "academic murder" of sacrifices of individuals.

She had directed HRD officials to ask the university to reconsider it. "We wrote to DU two days ago stating that connotation, use of word 'terrorist' is not respectful. We have also implored, since DU is an autonomous institution, to reconsider the use of this word," Irani said on Friday.

A highly-placed source in the MHRD told Mail Today that while the ministry had nothing to do with the university's decision, it had certainly conveyed the "angst of the people at large" in the matter to the university.

Meanwhile, the co-authors of the book - JNU professors Mridula Mukherjee, Aditya Mukhejee and Sucheta Mahajan -have protested against what they called "unnecessary controversy" as Chandra had dropped the terminology in his later works.

Aditya Mukherjee, who met DU vicechancellor Yogesh Tyagi on Friday, told Mail Today that he was shocked at the development as he had conveyed to the VC that coauthors were ready to make necessary changes immediately.

In a letter to the V-C, Mukerjee wrote: "Bipan Chandra had stopped using this description in his later writings and had publicly stated that he would not like the word 'terrorist' to be used any longer. The co-authors of the book have decided and announced it publicly that in accordance with the wishes of Bipan Chandra, they will make the necessary changes in the book."

Mukherjee took the argument further as he quoted a 1931-note by Bhagat Singh. "Bhagat Singh himself used the word 'terrorist' for himself and his compatriots.

A document of 1931, a note from Singh to his co-revolutionaries said that while 'terrorism' had done a lot of good to the world, it was time to move towards mass movement," he said.

When MAil Today asked if the government had asked Penguin publications to revise the book, Hemali Sodhi, senior vice-president, Penguin Random House India, said, "We haven't been contacted yet."

Penguin, in a statement, said: "Since its first publication in 1988, India's Struggle for Independence has been a recognised authority and positive appraisal of Bhagat Singh and his associates' huge contribution to India's freedom movement.

At the time of writing, the author made it clear that the phrase 'revolutionary terrorist' was used 'without any pejorative meaning and for want of a different term.'

We are already working with the co-authors to update and revise the phraseology to reflect both modern usage and the hugely important role of Bhagat Singh in the making of modern India.

V-C Tyagi told Mail Today that the university authorities maintained that they had no control over sale and distribution of the English version of the book as it was not published by DU. They also asserted that the book was for reference only.

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DU textbook calls Bhagat Singh a terrorist, Smriti Irani says it's 'academic murder'