A panel at the University of Jammu in India-occupied Kashmir has recommended removing references to key Muslim figures — including Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, and Syed Ahmad Khan — from its MA Political Science curriculum, according to Indian media reports.
The move comes after protests by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which objected to the inclusion of a chapter on Jinnah’s political thought. Demonstrations were held on campus last week, with protesters arguing that the content presented him as a leader of minorities in India.
The ABVP is affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
A committee led by Professor Naresh Padha has submitted the recommendation to the university’s Board of Studies, which is expected to review the proposal.
Earlier, the head of the political science department, Baljit Singh Mann, defended the inclusion of such figures, saying the syllabus aligns with national academic standards and aims to present diverse perspectives for critical analysis.
He also described the controversy as unnecessary, stressing that universities should encourage open academic inquiry rather than promote any single viewpoint.