RSS’ role in ‘nation-building’ will now be a part of Nagpur varsity syllabus

The history of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its role in ‘nation-building’ has been included in the syllabus of a university-based in Nagpur.

The National Students Union of India (NSUI), has threatened to launch an agitation over Nagpur University administration’s decision to introduce a chapter on “RSS’s role in nation-building” in the second-year Bachelor of Arts History syllabus.

The third section of the syllabus includes details about the role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS in nation-building, while the first section speaks about the establishment of the Congress party and the rise of Jawaharlal Nehru. The second section talks about issues of Civil Disobedience Movement.

A delegation of NSUI workers, which is led by city unit chief Ashish Mandpe met Vice-Chancellor Siddharth Kane and registered their protest against the university decision to introduce and dedicate a chapter on RSS in the syllabus. They even warned and said that if the chapter will not be deleted, they would launch an agitation.

“RSS history is part of Masters course since 2003. From this year, it has been included in the Bachelor course. I told the delegation about it but they were demanding that the RSS part be deleted. It is only as part of history paper for the period 1885 -1947. It’s not about RSS history after 1947″, said Vice-Chancellor Siddharth Kane.

“The BA syllabus also has a content of the history of Indian National Congress. Tomorrow some other people might demand the removal of this part. We can not go on accepting such demand”, he added.

After, the introduction of the new chapter Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant tweeted, “Where would Nagpur University find reference of RSS & Nation Building? It is most divisive force which collaborated with British, opposed freedom movement, didn’t hoist Tricolor for 52 yrs calling it inauspicious, wanted Manusmriti in lieu of constitution, spreads hatred.”