Delhi University removes Urdu poet Iqbal chapter from syllabus, sparks debate

PTI :
The academic council of Delhi University passed a motion to eliminate a chapter on renowned Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal from the political science syllabus, according to reports from the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Iqbal, born in 1877 in Sialkot (now in Pakistan), gained prominence for composing patriotic songs dedicated to India during British rule, including the famous “Sare jahan se achcha Hindustan hamara.”
However, in 1930, during the annual session of the Muslim League, he expressed the idea that Muslims in northwestern India should seek separate statehood.
The academic council, composed of over 100 members, voted in favour of removing the chapter titled “Modern Indian Political Thought” from the Bachelor of Arts sixth-semester syllabus.
The decision is not yet final, as the university’s executive council will make the ultimate decision on the motion on June 9.
Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh stated, “Iqbal was the first to raise the idea of partitioning India and the establishment of Pakistan. Instead of teaching such individuals, we should focus on studying our national heroes. Those who contributed to the division of India should not be included in the syllabus.”
The motion to remove the chapter received support from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a student body affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, as per PTI’s report.

In addition to removing the chapter on Iqbal, the council also approved a proposal to establish centres for partition studies, Hindu studies, and tribal studies at Delhi University, according to Vikas Gupta, the university’s registrar, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
However, the proposal also faced opposition from some members of the council.
“The proposed center is intended to be divisive,” stated a joint statement by five academic council members, as reported by the newspaper.

“Its objective states that the center will study past invasions, suffering, and slavery over 1,300 years. This approach is offensive, promotes communal divisions, and lacks intellectual coherence. Discussing 1,300 years will only provide an opportunity for venomous communal speeches.”
The decision to remove the chapter on Iqbal and the establishment of the proposed study centres sparked a debate within the academic community, reflecting differing perspectives on including and interpreting historical figures and events in educational curricula.