'Revolutionary terrorist' exam query angers MP students

A section of students and the opposition BJP protested in Madhya Pradesh on Friday after a Master of Arts question in Gwalior's Jiwaji University described some freedom fighters as "revolutionary terrorists".

The question, in Wednesday's examination paper on 'Political Philosophy-III; Modern Indian Political Thought' for M.A. Political Science students (Third Semester), read "Describe the activities of revolutionary terrorists. What is the difference between extremists and revolutionary terrorists?"

Members of All India Democratic Student Organisation (AIDSO) staged a protest in the University's campus on Thursday, with its district president Mitali Shukla demanding to know from the varsity if the country's revolutionaries were "terrorists".

They submitted a memorandum to Jiwaji University's Deputy Registrar Rajiv Mishra.

"This question is sending a wrong message among the students as revolutionaries are being termed as terrorists. The country's revolutionaries are our ideals. We demand action against the professor who set this question paper," Shukla said.

Deputy Registrar Rajiv Mishra said, "The examination department of the University is seeking clarification from the professor who set the question paper. The examination committee will take a suitable decision after it gets a reply from the concerned professor."

Meanwhile, ex-Chief Minister and BJP national vice president Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanded action and called the issue "embarrassing as well as painful".

"How can anyone call them terrorists? Because of their sacrifices, we are able to breathe freely. My demand to the Madhya Pradesh government is to take strict action against such irresponsible people."