Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor supports Kannur University, regarding the controversial syllabus including readings of RSS leaders, V D Savarkar and M S Golwalkar. Tharoor pointed out that students must critically understand all perspectives, and commented that he was talking from the point of view of an academician, and a not a politician.
‘Intellectual freedom is far too important a value in our society to be sacrificed at the altar of party politics. It is foolish to believe that ignorance of someone’s ideas will help you to defeat them. I have quoted Savarkar & Golwalkar at length in my books, & refuted them’. Tharoor stated in his twitter handle. ‘We cannot ban books from universities. Works of Gandhi and Nehru are also part of the said syllabus. It would have been wrong if the students were taught only the RSS books. Faculties can ensure that the RSS leaders’ works are not glorified while teaching them.’ He added.
The Congress MP also questioned the arising controversies, ‘What is the point of going to universities if you want to read only what you like?, Tharoor asked. The university has currently frozen the syllabus of the third semester students of MA Governance and Politics, when the controversy blew up. The Government has also sought an explanation from the vice-chancellor, regarding the issue.
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