DU: Iqbal, who Wrote Saare Jahan Se Accha, Removed From Curriculum

It was in 1984 that Rakesh Sharma had the distinction of being the first Indian to go into space. When he was in space, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked him, "How does India look from above?" He replied, "Yes, I can say without hesitation, Saare Jahan Se Accha". This line was part of a nazm/song written by Allama Iqbal.

The spectators could not help but hum along to the tune during the January 26 parade as the military musical band Kadamtaal marched down the Rajpath (now the Kartavya Path). But the decision to remove Iqbal, who wrote this song, from the Political Science course at Delhi University was also passed in the Executive Council on Friday.

Iqbal Removed From Syllabus

In BA Political Science, Iqbal and many thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar were taught. But now, they have been shown the way out of the syllabus. According to media reports, some other changes have been made, which include teaching VD Savarkar as a whole paper.

Before the resolution (removing the chapter on Iqbal) was passed in the Executive Council meeting of Delhi University held on Friday, it was presented (as per rules) in the Academic Council (AC), where it was discussed. And then, it was sent to the Executive Council (EC), and the decision was stamped there.

"If you are teaching Savarkar, then Iqbal should also be taught."

When we spoke to Dr Seema Das, a member of EC, in this regard, she said, "It is regrettable to remove Iqbal's chapter; all types of ideology should be taught; if you are teaching Savarkar, then you should teach Iqbal. After all, Iqbal is associated with undivided India; how can we ignore the facts and history?"

She further says, "Delhi University has a tradition and a history that we do not look through the prism of any one ideology; the university is a 'Universe of Ideas', where there is space for different ideas. I disagree with this view; students and teachers should have a choice."

The removal of Iqbal in this way, she says, has increased students' interest in him, and they are reading more about him.

According to media reports, in the Academic Council meeting, Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh had said, "The one who laid the foundation for the partition of India should not be in the syllabus."

We tried to know what else happened in the academic council meeting or whether anyone opposed this proposal.

"Teach Dara Shikoh Instead of Iqbal"

Alok Pandey, a member of the Academic Council, told NewsClick, "There was a protest that since Iqbal has been taught for a long time, it should be extended further, but it was said that instead of Iqbal, you should teach Dara Shikoh. We said that Iqbal had written "Saare Jahan Se Accha Hindostan", and then we were told that we should teach someone else instead of Iqbal; we persisted with teaching Iqbal, but since they were in the majority, they got the resolution passed."

"Can't Ignore Iqbal."

The majority is a big word. But does the argument of teaching Shikoh instead of Iqbal seem valid? To understand this, we talked to Prof. Apoorvanand of Delhi University; he laughed out loud upon hearing the question. 

"It is hilarious that if you remove the name of a Muslim, then take a Muslim; it is like replacing mango with orange. Shikoh is from a different era and is a different identity. This is very narrow thinking. They are removing a political philosophy that is very important for understanding the colonial period. If you read 'History of Ideas' in the context of India, you cannot ignore Iqbal."

He further says, "They say about Iqbal that the one who gave such an ideology which divides the country does not need to be read, but Iqbal has a political thought; Iqbal is not limited to Pakistan only. As a philosopher, he has his status in the whole world. You may remove them from your syllabus, but they will be taught in other countries. It is not that you removed him, so Iqbal would be removed everywhere."

"To Understand Ideological Struggle, Both Savarkar and Iqbal Need to be Read"

Apoorvanand emphasised that reading political thinkers is essential to understand them. 

"How will we understand that if we do not understand Iqbal? I am not comparing because, philosophically, they were very weak. But if you don't read Savarkar, how will you understand him? In the same way, if you want to understand what was an ideological battle or struggle, then Iqbal must also be read."

Apporvanand said that DU is doing an injustice to the students of Political Science. 

"Iqbal's ideology was wrong because he thought of a separate state for Muslims. His ideology became the reason for the birth of Pakistan. Due to his thinking, Delhi University showed him the way out of the syllabus. Pakistan is being punished for that thinking of Iqbal today, but what to do with that ideology, which is today roaming in every street across the country, raising the slogan of Hindu Rashtra?"