[INDOLOGY] Mr. Batra, NCERT and Penguin

[Dipak Durgamohan Bhattacharya]

Very true, so far as the List is concerned. But I am in India. I had that
in mind.
I am unequivocally against censorship when a book does not break the law of
the land.
I do not make stray comment on matters when the court is involved. But that
does not mean that I cannot challenge in the court.

Best
Dipak Bhattacharya


On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 4:29 PM, Dominik Wujastyk <wujastyk at gmail.com>wrote:

> Dear Prof. Bhattacharya,
>
> I am not aware of any controversy in this INDOLOGY forum about Doniger's
> book *The Hindus: An Alternative History*.  As far as I am aware, all
> commentators have been unanimous in their condemnation of the attack on
> free speech and the withdrawal of the book from circulation in India.
>
> You say that you are not taking sides, that you hold no brief.  If that is
> true, you are alone here.  I think members of the list would be interested
> if you could offer a reasoned justification for not overtly supporting the
> freedom of expression in the academic study of religion.  If you cannot, or
> do not wish to, offer a plausible case for censorship, then you have indeed
> taken a side.
>
> This is a time for scholars to speak out.
>
> Dominik Wujastyk
> University of Vienna
>
>
>
> On 20 February 2014 11:37, Dipak Durgamohan Bhattacharya <
> dipak.d2004 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>  I had no desire to enter into the controversy. I am now in the dialogue
>> because the NCERT has been brought in. The question may be answered without
>> holding any brief for any of the parties involved in the first dispute.
>>
>> The NCERT has no axe to grind. On history or allied matter its object is
>> India or its components. A community may be the object of description but
>> without a motive.   Its objective dispassionate approach acts like a
>> shield.
>>
>> Doniger's approach is different. Hindus but no Hinduism, and the cart of
>> 'alternative history' has been put before the horse of 'induction'. Why not
>> Hinduism if it is an academic approach? It is exceptional to find
>> community-centric motivated approach in an NCERT book. In case of any such
>> occurrence they are rectified.
>>
>> I just pointed to the vulnerability of book without taking side.
>>
>> Best
>>
>> DB
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 12:26 AM, Stella Sandahl <ssandahl at sympatico.ca>wrote:
>>
>>> I have learnt from a reliable source that Mr. Batra initiated no less
>>> than ten lawsuits against NCERT's (NCERT stands for National Council for
>>> Educational Research and Training) textbooks during the years 2004-2010. He
>>> lost all of them. Isn't it strange that Penguin so easily gives in, when
>>> NCERT fought back and won. One would assume that a great company like
>>> Penguin can manage the legal fees involved.
>>> Best to all
>>> Stella Sandahl
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Professor Stella Sandahl 9retired)
>>> Department of East Asian Studies
>>>
>>> 130 St. George St. room 14087
>>> Toronto, ON M5S 3H1
>>> ssandahl at sympatico.ca
>>> stella.sandahl at utoronto.ca
>>> Tel. (416) 978-4295
>>> Fax. (416) 978-5711
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>>> http://listinfo.indology.info
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>> http://listinfo.indology.info
>>
>
>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.indology.info/pipermail/indology/attachments/20140220/8ef532ad/attachment.htm>