Christian students oppose ban on novel after Sena pressure

Christian groups have joined protests against Shiv Sena for pressuring Mumbai University to drop a novel that had references to the right-wing party.

The University recently dropped Rohinton Mistry's Booker nominated novel 'Such a Long Journey' from the Bachelor of Arts (BA) second year course.

The book, which has been part of the syllabus since 2007, was banned after the Shiv Sena's student union led by Uddhav Thackeray's son Aditya objected to the contents.

Aditya, who is a final year student of Arts at St Xavier's, defended the ban stating that some portions of the book were disrespectful towards the Sena.

Protesting against the move, the All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) began a petition that has collected over 1,000 signatures which appeals to oppose the "shrinking democratic spaces within the University and the city of Mumbai".

The Maharashtra president of AICUF demanded that the book be reintroduced and a debate be held whether it deserved to be banned.

The Bombay Catholic Sabha is also gathering support for the petition through parish groups, e-mails and social networking sites.

Meanwhile, faculty members of the University of Mumbai have strongly opposed vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar's decision to withdraw the novel. "English teachers are agitated. It is unfortunate that such a thing has happened," said Tapati Mukhopadhyay, general secretary of Bombay University and College Teachers Union.

The Maharashtra government has now decided to look into the University's decision.

Several leading academicians have staunchly opposed the ban. "It is inconceivable that in the 21st century, a political outfit will not show the maturity to accept criticism and answer it by the evidence of its own actions," Mumbai Mirror quoted St Xavier's College principal Dr Frazer Mascarenhas, as saying.

He questioned why a work of literature should be banned "merely because it dares to critique us".