Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt has demanded that the Maharashtra government ask the University of Mumbai to withdraw the political science textbook of the Institute of Distance and Open Learning as it ignores the contribution of Jawaharlal Nehru to nation building and labels Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Tilak ‘anti-secular’. University officials said a high level committee would be set up to look into the issue.
A former MU senate member said the accusations were surprising as the book was old and there had been no problem till now. “The syllabus and the textbook has been in use since the past three years so why is Mr Dutt raising the issue now There could have been some miscommunication or misunderstanding for the issue to be raked up now,” the member said. Dr M.A. Khan, registrar, MU said, “The university has been asked to submit a report on Mr Dutt’s grouse. A high-level review committee will be set up and will do a factual verification of the complaints. If the committee finds anything objectionable, then appropriate action will be taken.”
