The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has stepped in to quell protests by a section of students over appointment of a Muslim teacher in Banaras Hindu University's Sanskrit Department. Sangh's frontal organisation Samskrit Bharti—a body for promotion of Sanskrit language—said a misunderstanding was being created that the newly appointed Muslim teacher would be performing yagnas and other Hindu rituals while teaching Sanskrit. They said Dr Firoz Khan would be teaching Dharma Shastra, which in fact means Law.
The body said Khan should fearlessly go and teach in the university and students should withdraw their protest.
"Some people are spreading wrong information in the media that Dr Firoz Khan will be teaching vedic rituals and performing yagnas," a press note issued by Samskrit Bharti's general secretary Shreesh Deopujari said.
"There is another misunderstanding connected to the subject Dharma Shastra. Dharma doesn't mean religion. India is the oldest civilization. At various times, there have been various constitutions for the smooth functioning of the society. Today they are known as Smritis. According to the modern vocabulary Dharma Shastra may be translated as Law," Deopujari added.
The RSS body urged students to take back their protest. "We also request the University authorities to bring the situation back to normal at the earliest. We also request Dr Firoz Khan to fearlessly give his services to the university.”
Samskrit Bharati said its role is to teach Samskrit to the entire world. Apart from India, Samskrit Bharati is active in 17 other countries including Arab countries. "We sing a song - Pathyem Samskritam Jagati Sarva Maanavaan (We will teach Samskrit to every human bing in the world). Dr Firoze Khan is one of the thousands of people who were trained by Samskrit Bharati," the statement said.
The controversy over Khan's appointment had erupted after students of the Sanskrit Department protested as to how a Muslim can teach them about Hindu religion and Vedic rituals. Several educationists and even descendants of Madan Mohan Malviya—founder of the BHU—whose name students had invoked against Khan's appointment, had termed the protests as unseeming and illegal.
