DU council to discuss proposal to introduce Manusmriti in LLB, teachers' body opposes
New Delhi, Jul 11: A proposal to teach Manusmriti (Laws of Manu) to Delhi University's LLB students is slated to be discussed in a meeting of its Academic Council on Friday, a move which has drawn criticism from a section of teachers.
The Faculty of Law has sought approval from the highest decision-making body of Delhi University (DU) to revise the syllabus of its first and third-year students to teach them 'Manusmriti'.
The changes in the syllabus of the jurisprudence paper pertain to semesters one and six of LLB.
According to the revisions, two readings on Manusmriti -- Manusmriti with the Manubhasya of Medhatithi by G N Jha and Commentary of Manu Smriti - Smritichandrika by T Kristnasawmi Iyer -- are proposed to be introduced for the students.
The decision to suggest the revisions was unanimously approved in a June 24 meeting of the faculty's Course Committee headed by its dean Anju Vali Tikoo, according to the minutes of the meeting.
Objecting to the move, the Left-backed Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF) has written to DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh stating that the manuscript propagates a "regressive" outlook towards the rights of women and the marginalised communities and that it is against a "progressive education system".
In a letter to Singh, SDTF general secretary S S Barwal and chairperson S K Sagar said recommending Manusmriti to students as a suggested reading "is highly objectionable as this text is adverse to the progress and education of women and marginalised communities in India".
"In Manusmriti, in several sections, it opposes women's education and equal rights. Introduction of any section or part of Manusmriti is against the basic structure of our Constitution and principles of Indian Constitution," the letter read.
The SDTF demanded that the proposal be immediately withdrawn and it should not be approved in the Academic Council's meeting scheduled to be held on July 12.
It further requested the vice-chancellor to issue an order to the law faculty and the concerned staff members to continue teaching the paper jurisprudence based on the existing syllabus.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
