Book ban pits literary world against Sena

The University of Mumbai’s mid-term withdrawal of Rohinton Mistry’s book, ‘Such a Long Journey’, on the grounds of abusive and derogatory language has evoked angry reactions from various political parties, non-government organisations and the literary world at large. Shiv Sena, though, has welcomed the move. Even as the book has been rendered history in the university curriculum now, its withdrawal is likely to be hotly debated for some time now.

Banning of books and films is not new in Maharashtra. Earlier, the state government’s decision to ban B R Ambedkar’s ‘Riddles in Hinduism’ in the 1990s or James Laine’s ‘Shivaji, the Hindu King in a Mogul India’ ahead of the 2004 assembly elections or the movie ‘Fire’ had led to widespread protests.

After the withdrawal of Mistry’s book, the Congress-led government cut a sorry figure as Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had nothing much to offer except an assurance to discuss the issue with the university Vice-Chancellor Rajan Welukar. Rajesh Tope, minister of higher education, said the state government could not do much as the university was an autonomous body.

However, the Congress party’s ally Nationalist Congress Party has strongly attacked University of Mumbai’s move and claimed that it has in fact boosted the Shiv Sena’s strategy to launch Aditya Thackeray, grandson of Sena chief Bal Thackeray, in the state politics. Aditya is expected to head the Sena’s youth wing, which would be different from Vidyarthi Sena. Thackeray Sr is likely to formally launch Aditya at the party’s customary Dussera rally on Sunday.

Firebrand NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad came down heavily on the university’s move and said, “By his action, the vice-chancellor has given recognition to feudalism. His action is deplorable.” Incidentally, the vice-chancellor has preferred not to offer any comment on the controversy.

Shiv Sena is happy with the vice-chancellor’s move, saying it was the right thing to do. The party was agitated over certain references in the novel to its role in the 1992 communal riots that broke out after the Babri Masjid demolition. The party argued that the references were unwarranted and incorrect. Aditya and other Vidyarthi Sena leaders claimed that it was opposed to the vulgar language and anti-Sena remarks used in the novel.

Mistry, who is a former student of Mumbai’s leading Xaviers’ College, received support from college principal Dr Frazer Mascarenhas SJ. The principal wrote on the college website that the book had not evoked any controversy in the civil society and was considered an example of excellent literature, recounting life as lived by the common men and women of the time. It does reflect critically on political parties of all hues and in particular, deplores the threats of violence unleashed in the 1970s by a particular political party in Maharashtra, he wrote. St Xavier’s College regretted that the book, written by an alumnus and widely acclaimed in literary circles, had been treated such, he went on to add.