Kolkata: West Bengal educationists are not happy over removal of Bengali author Mahasweta Devi’s story ‘Draupadi’ from Delhi University’s English syllabus.
Talking to Free Press Journal, ace educationist Amal Mukherjee said that it is a disgrace that works like Draupadi has been dropped from English syllabus which gives the picture of the downtrodden section.
“Everyone has the right to know about the weaker section of the society. No one can articulate how deprived a section still is and the way Mahasweta Devi had depicted it has no words. This piece of literature should be once again included in the syllabus,” said Amal.
Calling it an ‘unfortunate incident’, the ace educationist also said that the officials of the English department should give proper alibi over the removal of ‘Draupadi’ from syllabus without consulting anyone.
Notably, Draupadi is a story about Dopdi Mehjen (27), a woman belonging to a Santhal tribe of West Bengal. She is a ‘Robin Hood’ like figure who along with her husband, Dhulna , murders wealthy landlords and take over their wells, which is the primary source of water for the village. The duo worked rotating between Birbhum, Burdwan, Murshidabad and Bankura.
Another educationist Pabitra Sarkar claimed that for women empowerment stories like ‘Draupadi’ should be more encouraged than being dropped out.
“In every Bengali hearts Mahasweta Devi dwells. It is a very unfortunate thing for all Bengalis and also women the way they strive for the well-being of others. Draupadi is a story of hardships. Commitment and omission of works like this shouldn’t be tolerated,” said Sarkar.
Incidentally, teachers of Delhi University on August 26 had raised their concerns over axing of the work of Mahasweta Devi along with Dalit authors from the undergraduate English syllabus without consulting the committee of courses.
In a note on last Tuesday by the 15 academic council (AC) members said that oversight committee who had taken the decision have the power to change syllabus of the core paper of semester 5 called ‘Women writing’.
