Gujarat: Dubbed as ‘anti-national’, Ramchandra Guha dropped from AU faculty list

Weeks after the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leaders opposed the appointment of biographer and author Ramachandra Guha in the Ahmedabad University (AU) in Gujarat, the latter had confirmed that he will not teach in the varsity. The renowned historian cited circumstances beyond his control for his decision.

It is to be known that the AU had announced the appointment of Guha as the Shrenik Lalbhai Chair Professor of Humanities and director of the Gandhi Winter School at the university’s School of Arts and Sciences on October 16. Three days later, the RSS student wing opposed the appointment and demanded the university rescind its offer.

Confirming the protest, ABVP’s secretary for Ahmedabad city Pravin Desai said, as reported by the Indian Express, “We made a representation before AU Registrar B M Shah. We said that we want intellectuals in our educational institutes and not anti-nationals, who can also be termed as ‘urban Naxals’. We had quoted anti-national content from his (Guha’s) books to the Registrar. We told him, the person you are calling is a ‘Communist’. If he is invited to Gujarat, there would be a JNU-kind anti-national sentiment.”

Describing Guha’s works as ‘critical of India’s Hindu culture’, the ABVP members have sent a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor. In the memorandum it was stated, “His such writings have encouraged divisive tendencies, alienation in the name of independence of the individual, freeing terrorists in the name of independence of the individual, and separating Jammu and Kashmir from the Indian union, in well known universities like Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Central University, Hyderabad.”

Supposed to join the varsity from February 1, 2019, Guha took to twitter and wrote, “It was clear that the (university) administration was under immense (political) pressure. What was not clear was if that pressure would ease up even after the (Lok Sabha) elections.” Adding more, he wrote, “Due to circumstances beyond my control, I shall not be joining Ahmedabad University. I wish AU well; it has fine faculty and an outstanding Vice-Chancellor. And may the spirit of Gandhi one day come alive once more in his native Gujarat.”

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I shall not be joining Ahmedabad University. I wish AU well; it has fine faculty and an outstanding Vice Chancellor. And may the spirit of Gandhi one day come alive once more in his native Gujarat.

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) November 1, 2018

Or, more precisely, a biographer of Gandhi cannot teach a course on Gandhi in Gandhi’s own city. https://t.co/5snAdeIXMc

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) November 2, 2018

AU’s Registrar, when contacted, stated, “The university has no comment to make on this announcement. Even I got to know from the tweet. The Vice-Chancellor is out of the country. The university will look into how to take this development.” Another official said, “The element of a mobilized ABVP posed a particular kind of risk. There was a real concern that he (Guha) could be harmed (on campus).”

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