Marathi poem in curriculum: Women panel issues notice to poet and Mumbai University
The State Commission for Women has written to the
university and directed the vice-chancellor to present himself before the
commission for a hearing.
Mumbai University : The Maharashtra State Commission for Women has issued a
notice to poet Dinkar Manwar and the University of Mumbai after several
organisations wrote to it voicing concerns over his poem ‘Paani Kasa Asta (the
nature of water)’ and the university’s decision to include it in the
curriculum. The commission has written to the university and directed the
vice-chancellor to present himself before the commission for a hearing. The
university had included the poem for third-year Arts students and following
protests by many groups, it had subsequently dropped the poem from the
curriculum.
“We have been receiving letter after letter to take
cognisance of this matter. If the university has indeed dropped the poem from
its curriculum, the same should be conveyed to the commission. The poet has
also been directed to present himself for a hearing,” said Vijaya Rahatkar, the
chairperson of the women commission.
During
protests, activists had expressed concern over the poem’s reference to breasts
of a tribal girl. In September, members of Shramjeevi Sanghatana had protested
outside Education Minister Vinod Tawde’s house over the issue. Some had burnt
copies of the poem on the Kalina campus of the university.
Source : https://indianexpress.com
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