Arundhati Roy’s book Walking with the Comrades has been withdrawn from the postgraduate English syllabus of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli after objection from ABVP. The book was based on her experience when she visited Maoist hideouts. This book was taught to the third-year English literature students in the last four years.
The university Vice-Chancellor Pichumani held a meeting and formed a committee to decide upon removing the book from the syllabus based on the complaint from ABVP. The Vice-Chancellor stated that the committee has found the content in the book controversial and that’s why they recommended to withdraw it and replace it with ‘My Native Land’ book. This action has come after the ABVP alleged that the book glorifies Maoists and is supporting violence, they have also stated in the complaint that if the university does not take appropriate action they will approach the HRD Ministry seeking action.
Reacting to the developments, Arundhathi Roy has issued a statement and has stated “When I heard of the Manomaniam Sundaranar University’s decision to remove my book ‘Walking With the Comrades’ from its curriculum following threats and pressure from the ABVP—oddly enough I was more happy than sad because I had no idea that it was in the curriculum in the first place. I am glad it has been taught for several years” She has also added, “I am not the least bit shocked or surprised that it has been removed from the syllabus now. It was my duty as a writer to write it. It is not my duty to fight for its place in a university curriculum. That is for others to do or not do. Either way, it has been widely read, and as we know bans and purges do not prevent writers from being read. This narrow, shallow, insecure attitude towards literature displayed by our current regime is not just detrimental to its critics.”
Condemning the decision taken by the university, DMK MP Kanimozhi has tweeted saying, “if politics is going to decide what is literature, art, culture, and curriculum it is very dangerous for the pluralistic society”. CPM MP Su. Venkateshan has demanded the university to immediately revoke their decision.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore has slammed the move and has said ]“the RSS decides the education syllabus in BJP-ruled states. This is yet another example that TN Government is under the influence of RSS. We have to save education from saffronisation and it will be decided in 2021.”