JNU's 'Jihadi terrorism' course: CPI seeks Edu-Minister's intervention to change it

New Delhi: CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam has written to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan about the new course in JNU on counter-terrorism. He said the course is designed to "communalise and politicise geopolitical issues" and argued that it must not be allowed to be taught.

The course asserts that "Jihadi terrorism' is the only form of "fundamentalist-religious terrorism", and that the erstwhile Soviet Union and China were the "predominant state-sponsors of terrorism" that influenced "radical Islamic states".

Viswam wrote that it is deeply unfortunate that higher education is being used as a platform to communalise and politicise geopolitical issues through the presentation of half-truths and academically dishonest information, reported The Indian Express.

He added that it is an attempt to distort history to serve the vested political and communal interests of a certain ideology. He pointed out that the contents of the course make incredulous assertions pertaining to global terrorism and political regimes that have supported it.

The new optional course titled 'Counter-Terrorism, Asymmetric Conflicts, and Strategies for Cooperation among Major Powers' was approved by the Academic Council to be part of the curriculum for engineering students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. JNU staff had alleged that it was passed without discussion.

The Raja Sabha MP noted that the statements about China and Russia are "not only historically inaccurate they are also deeply prejudiced and politically motivated".

He also alleged that those who drafted and passed the syllabus have acted in an "irresponsible manner" which "goes against the very ethos of education and critical thinking that has been the hallmark of eminent institutions like the Jawaharlal Nehru University," said The Indian Express report.

He appealed to the education minister to intervene in the matter and ensure a comprehensive review of the course material.