Congress Criticizes Proposal to Teach Manusmriti at Delhi University

The Congress party criticised the Centre on Thursday over a proposal to teach Manusmriti to Delhi University's LLB students. They alleged that this is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tactics to fulfil the RSS's long-standing aim to undermine the Constitution. The Congress’s Scheduled Caste department also called for protests against the proposed move at state and district levels.

Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary, in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh said, "This is all part of the salami tactics of the non-biological PM to bring fulfilment to the decades-long attempt by the RSS to assault the Constitution and Dr. Ambedkar's legacy." The proposal will be discussed in a meeting of Delhi University's Academic Council on Friday.

Protests Against Manusmriti Proposal

Congress SC department chairman Rajesh Lilothia urged chairpersons of the party's state SC departments to stage protests against the proposed move. He described it as a "regressive step" by the Central University and claimed it could lead to similar programmes in schools and other state universities in BJP-governed states. Lilothia requested protests at state and district levels on July 12, 2024.

The Faculty of Law has sought approval from Delhi University's highest decision-making body to revise the syllabus for first and third-year students to include Manusmriti. The changes pertain to semesters one and six of LLB. Two readings on Manusmriti are proposed: "Manusmriti with the Manubhasya of Medhatithi" by G N Jha and "Commentary of Manu Smriti - Smritichandrika" by T Kristnasawmi Iyer.

Opposition from Teachers' Front

The Left-backed Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF) objected to the move, writing to DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh. They argued that Manusmriti promotes a regressive outlook towards women's rights and marginalised communities, which contradicts a progressive education system.

In its issue dated November 30, 1949, the RSS mouthpiece Organiser had stated: "The worst about the new Constitution of Bharat is that there is nothing Bharatiya about it. The drafters of the constitution have incorporated in it elements of British, American, Canadian, Swiss and sundry other Constitutions. But there is no trace of ancient Bharatiya constitutional laws, institutions, nomenclature and phraseology in it," Ramesh said in a post on X.

The decision to suggest these revisions was unanimously approved in a June 24 meeting of the faculty's Course Committee headed by its dean Anju Vali Tikoo, according to meeting minutes. The revisions aim to introduce students to ancient legal texts as part of their jurisprudence paper.

Ramesh also quoted Organiser saying: "...In our Constitution, there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manus Laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day, his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits that means nothing."

The Congress party remains firm in its stance against this proposal, viewing it as an attempt to undermine Dr. Ambedkar's legacy and India's constitutional values.