India's Struggle for Independence

India's Struggle for Independence is a book written by historians Bipan Chandra, Mridula Mukherjee, Aditya Mukherjee, Sucheta Mahajan, and K. N. Panikkar, and published by Penguin Random House in 1987.[1] The book examines the Indian independence movement.

India's Struggle for Independence
Authors
LanguageEnglish
PublisherPenguin Random House
Publication date
1987
Publication placeIndia
Media typeprint

Reception

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'Revolutionary Terrorist' controversy

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Bhagat Singh along with Chandra Shekhar Azad, Surya Sen and others have been referred as 'revolutionary terrorist' in chapter 20 of book.[2] Bhagat Singh's family objected the use of term in April of 2016.[3] In parliamentary upper house Rajya Sabha, K. C. Tyagi, Janata Dal (United) politician, demanded to delete "objectionable references" for Bhagat Singh.[2] P. J. Kurien, deputy chairman of house, urged government to remove all references which refer Bhagat Singh as "revolutionary terrorist" which was assured by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, then Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.[2] Samajwadi Party politician Naresh Agarwal along with BJP MPs demanded action against authors while Left MPs opposed it in Rajya Sabha.[4]

In May 2016, Hindutva activist Dinanath Batra wrote a letter to HRD Ministry to sought ban on the book for the very same reason.[2][1] He also demanded action against Delhi University officials who printed it in Hindi.[1]

Mridula Mukherjee, co-author of the book had clarified that word didn't have a pejorative meaning when it was published.[1] Professors of Jawaharlal Nehru University claimed that Bipan Chandra praised Bhagat Singh when he referred him as 'revolutionary terrorist'.[5] Later, the book was red-flagged by the Delhi University.[6] Indian History Congress had passed a resolution in favor of book and demanded to end 'virtual ban' on the book in 2017.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Pathak, Vikas (2016-04-29). "Ban sought on Bipan Chandra's book". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  2. ^ a b c d "Remove terrorist tag for Bhagat Singh in DU book by Bipan Chandra: Kurien". The Indian Express. 2018-01-23. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  3. ^ "Bhagat Singh 'Revolutionary Terrorist' Says Book Taught In Delhi University". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  4. ^ "SP MP seeks action against authors for referring to Bhagat Singh as 'terrorist'". The Indian Express. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  5. ^ "Bipan Chandra praised Bhagat Singh when he called him 'revolutionary terrorist': JNU professors". Firstpost. May 2016. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  6. ^ a b Pathak, Vikas (2017-01-09). "Lift 'virtual ban' on Bipan Chandra's book, says IHC". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-03-14.