Proposal To Include Manusmriti Readings In Law Courses at Delhi University Rejected

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Updated: 06-03-2024

Controversy related to the inclusion of Manusmriti in LLB course

Yogesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor at the Delhi University has confirmed that the LLB students will not be taught Manusmriti which is an ancient Hindu legal text. This decision came after the controversy which rose after the introduction of the proposal suggesting the inclusion of the course in undergraduate law courses.

Rejection of the Proposal

The Faculty of Law at Delhi University had submitted a proposal to modify the Jurisprudence paper, which included readings from Manusmriti. However, both proposals regarding the suggested readings as well as accompanying amendments were officially rejected by the university administration. VC Yogesh Singh while clarifying the stance of the administration, informed that the students will not be taught about Manusmriti

Academic Council Meeting

Despite the rejection of the proposal, the issue will be discussed in an upcoming meeting of the Academic Council, indicating the ongoing deliberations about the curriculum as well as the role of ancient texts in the modern legal education.

Support for the inclusion of Manusmriti

Anju Wali Tikoo, dean of the Faculty of Law, while defending the proposal, emphasised that the understanding of the ancient scriptures is crucial for developing a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework.
She explained that the proposal has been misrepresented, arguing that introduction of the Manusmriti in the course is part of a broader effort to understand the Indian scholarly traditions. Tikoo further explained that if we do not understand about the teachings of our ancient scriptures how will we be able to analyse and develop an understanding of the course.
She highlighted that the proposal is a result of the consultations with scholars, which included a retired high court judge, and was also discussed in a standing council meeting where there was no opposition.

Political Fallout- Congress vs. BJP

The proposal regarding the introduction of the Manusmriti has sparked significant political tension, especially between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress condemned the move, while labelling the Manusmriti as "unconstitutional" in nature. The party has planned to hold protests across the state as well as district levels against any such attempts to include the text in the academic syllabi.

Nationwide Protests

National Students' Union of India (NSUI), e.i. the student wing of Congress, has planned to stage protests in the universities across the country against the proposal.

Various congress leaders have accused the ruling party BJP of attempting to undermine the Constitution by employing backdoor methods such as the promotion of Manusmriti at the academic level.

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Allegations Against the Ruling party

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the said proposal reflects "salami tactics" which are aimed at "assaulting the Constitution of India". He further accused the BJP of fulfilling the long-standing agenda of RSS by attempting to replace the constitutional values with those of the teachings of the Manusmriti.

Summary of the Situation

The controversy related to the introduction of the Manusmriti readings in the Delhi University's law curriculum has ignited a fierce political debate. With Congress mobilising student bodies for protests and with the BJP defending the proposal, this discourse around the ancient texts in modern education continues to be a contentious issue.

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