Aligarh, 5 August: Only a few days after books by Pakistani writers were removed from the Aligarh Muslim University’s Islamic Studies curriculum in response to complaints to the prime minister from various sources, the university has no run into new controversy.
This time, the dispute is about the university’s proposal to teach Sanatan Dharma and other Indian faiths at the Islamic Studies Department.
Protests erupted shortly after the university’s public relation officer, Umar Pirzada, stated that all religions, including Sanatan Dharma, Jainism, Buddhism, and Christianity, will be included in the Master’s degree curriculum of the Islamic Studies Department.
Although the decision has yet to be approved by the University Academic and Executive Councils, the mere suggestion has enraged local academics. Prof Mufti Zahid Ali Khan, former head of the university’s Sunni Theology Department, stated that studies of other religions are not allowed at the Islamic Studies Department since the department solely teaches Islamic practises.
Meanwhile, many people have questioned the removal of books by Pakistani authors, stating that they were removed in response to a complaint to the Prime Minister. However, they claimed that this decision should have been approved by the Academic and Executive Councils first.
