Decision to junk proposal to teach 'Manusmriti' to law students of DU welcome step: Mayawati

LUCKNOW: BSP chief Mayawati on Friday welcomed the decision of the Delhi University to reject the proposal to teach 'Manusmriti' to law students.

Delhi Univeristy Vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh had on Thursday said that suggestions to teach 'Manusmriti' (Laws of Manu) to law students of the university have been rejected.

"Strong opposition to the proposal to teach Manusmriti in the Law Department of Delhi University, which went against dignity and honour of the Indian Constitution and its egalitarian and welfare objectives, is natural and the decision to cancel this proposal is a welcome step," Mayawati said in a post on X.

"The most revered Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar created the universally accepted Indian Constitution, keeping in mind self-respect and self-esteem of the neglected and women as well as humanism and secularism, which does not match Manusmriti at all. Therefore, any such attempt is not at all appropriate," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

The Faculty of Law had sought approval from the DU's highest decision-making body to revise the syllabus of its first and third-year students to teach them 'Manusmriti'.

According to the proposed revisions, two readings on Manusmriti -- Manusmriti with the Manubhasya of Medhatithi by G N Jha and Commentary of Manu Smriti - Smritichandrika by T Kristnasawmi Iyer -- were proposed to be introduced for the students.

The decision to suggest the revisions was unanimously approved in a June 24 meeting of the faculty's Course Committee headed by its dean Anju Vali Tikoo, according to the minutes of the meeting.

Objecting to the move, the Left-backed Social Democratic Teachers Front (SDTF) has written to the DU Vice-Chancellor stating that the manuscript propagates a "regressive" outlook towards the rights of women and the marginalised communities and that it is against a "progressive education system".