Chapter on Jinnah sparks row, Jammu University sets up probe committee

JAMMU: The vice-chancellor of University of Jammu has constituted a high-level committee to examine the syllabus of political science postgraduate course after the inclusion of a chapter on political thought of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah snowballed into a major controversy.

According to an order issued by the office of the dean of academic affairs, the committee has been tasked with “thoroughly reviewing the issue and submitting its report at the earliest”. The panel will be headed by Prof Naresh Padha of physics department, and will comprise the heads of the departments of philosophy, history and sociology, and the director of Department of Strategic and Regional Studies. The assistant registrar (academic affairs) will serve as the member secretary.

On Friday, ABVP activists had staged a protest at the university, demanding the withdrawal of the chapter on Jinnah. The protesters, led by ABVP’s J&K secretary Sannak Shrivats, raised slogans against the administration and warned that they would be “compelled to launch a strong democratic agitation across Jammu and Kashmir” if the content was not withdrawn.

“Our govt should take note that the political science department at Jammu University has released its syllabus for 2026-2028... and certain individuals are being presented as representatives of minorities, including Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Mohammed Ali Jinnah,” said Shrivats. These are the same individuals who propounded the two-nation theory and played a role in Partition, and “teaching about them raises serious concerns”, he added.

“We will wait and watch what the committee suggests. University authorities must understand that academic freedom does not mean disregard for national sentiments,” Srivats further said.

The head of political science department, Prof Baljit Singh Mann, had on Friday defended the syllabus, saying the inclusion of Jinnah and others “is purely academic” and consistent with the curricula followed by universities nationwide as well as the UGC norms. “Our objective is to present different perspectives so that students can assess the merits and demerits and distinguish between right and wrong. This is an academic exercise, not advocacy,” he said.

On Saturday, when asked by mediapersons, he said he had already made his stand clear, and stood by what he had stated a day earlier.

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