SC seeks DU's response on 'distorted' Ramayana syllabus row

A Bench headed by Justice P Sathasivam issued a notice to the varsity authorities on the application moved by Dina Nath Batra complaining that the Vice Chancellor had ignored the apex court's earlier order for referring the issue to the DU's Academic Council.

The controversy relates to an article "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts" authored by late Prof Ramanunjam which the petitioner alleged was blasphemous and ought to be deleted from the syllabus as it would otherwise corrupt the minds of the students.

Though the Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed Nath's petition, the apex court had on September 19, 2008, permitted the petitioner to place his evidence to the Vice Chancellor for placing it along with the views of the experts committee appointed by the DU before the Academic Council.

According to the petitioner, though he had several times approached the Vice Chancellor for ensuring compliance of the order, the latter was not taking any step to submit his evidence and the views of the experts committee before the council.

The petitioner urged the apex court to direct the varsity to forthwith take a decision on the issue so that the allegedly blasphemous article was deleted from the syllabus during the present academic year.