DU executive council to take call on removing chapter on poet Muhammad Iqbal who wrote 'Saare jahan se achha'

The Academic Council of Delhi University on Friday passed a motion to remove a chapter on Pakistan's national poet Muhammad Iqbal from the political science syllabus, members of the statutory body confirmed.

Born in 1877 in Sialkot in undivided India, Iqbal wrote the famous song ‘Saare jahan se achha’. He is often credited with giving birth to the idea of Pakistan.

The chapter titled 'Modern Indian Political Thought' is part of BA's sixth-semester paper, officials said, adding that the matter will now be presented before the Executive Council of the university that will take the final call.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), meanwhile, welcomed the development.

"A motion was brought regarding a change in the syllabus of political science. As per the motion, there was a chapter on Iqbal that has been removed from the syllabus," said an Academic Council member.

Also Read | DU to launch centre on tribal studies

A unit on Iqbal titled 'Iqbal: Community', which is part of the syllabus was reviewed by PTI.

There are 11 units as part of the course with the objective to study important themes through individual thinkers.

Other thinkers that are also part of the course include Rammohan Roy, Pandita Ramabai, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, and Bhimrao Ambedkar.

"The course has been designed to give students a glimpse into the richness and diversity within the Indian political thought," the syllabus mentions.

The course is aimed to equip students with a critical understanding of modern Indian thought, it adds.

"The thematic exploration of ideas is meant to locate the topical debates on important subjects on a historical trajectory and reflect over the diverse possibilities exhibited in the writings of the respective thinkers," it further stated.

Meanwhile, the ABVP welcomed the move, saying "fanatic theological scholar" Iqbal was responsible for India's partition.

"Delhi University academic council decided to scrap fanatic theological scholar Mohd Iqbal from DU's political science syllabus. It was previously included in BA's sixth-semester paper titled 'Modern Indian political thought," the ABVP said in a statement.

"Mohammad Iqbal is called the 'philosophical father of Pakistan'. He was the key player in establishing Jinnah as a leader in Muslim League. Mohammad Iqbal is as responsible for India's partition as Mohammad Ali Jinnah is," it added.