The MP police on Thursday, December 8 arrested Farhat Khan, the author of a ‘controversial’ book, from a Pune hospital while she was undergoing dialysis. This was announced by controversial Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra in Bhopal on Friday 9 reported The Hindu.
Ms. Khan was arrested in connection with her book “Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System”, a copy of which was kept in the library of the Government New Law College in Indore after an RSS-affiliate, the all-powerful Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) complained about sections of it that reportedly questioned the role of the RSS in the fomentation of collective violence.
Addressing media persons in Bhopal, Mr. Mishra said that law enforcement authorities have also started a probe into complaints related to another book and if any objectionable content is found, it will be linked with the same case.
The source of the complaints and the conflict is the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It is the ABVP that has alleged the book being taught to students in the college has highly objectionable contents against the Hindu community and the RSS.
Chronology
Last week, on December 3, Lucky Adiwal, an ABVP leader and an LLM student at the college, filed a complaint in the matter against Ms. Khan, the book’s publisher Amar Law Publication, the institution’s principal Inam-ur-Rehman and professor Mirza Mojij Baig. Acting swiftly on this, the MP State Higher Education Department formed a seven-member committee to investigate the matter. Working at supersonic speed, a member of the panel has publicly stated that it has recorded statements of 250 students and teachers.
“Sources” told the media that this panel constituted by the State Higher Education Department at the behest of the ABVP’s complaint, submitted its report to the State government on Thursday. Promptly, the Higher Education Minister Mohan Yadav ordered first the suspension of Mr. Rehman and Mr. Baig with immediate effect.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajesh Kumar Singh had told reporters in Indore that after a case was registered against Ms. Khan five days ago, she was traced in Pune and served a notice under the Code of Criminal Procedure. He added that the Indore-based author was suffering from a serious kidney ailment and needed dialysis on a regular basis.
On Tuesday, December 6, the four accused persons, a local court had refused anticipatory bail to Mr. Rehman and Mr. Baig. Their counsel, Abhinav Dhanotkar had said the rejection of bail would be challenged in the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Background
On amazon, the 2015 publication, shows as being co-authored by Dr Sheetal Kanwal and Dr Farhat Ali Khan, Amar Law Publication’s Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System for LLM Students. It is not so far known what action has been ‘ordered’ against the co-author, Dr Sheetal Kanwal.
Meanwhile, all four –the publisher, Dr Farhat Ali Khan, former principal of the Government Law College, Indore, Inamur Rahman and Dr Mirza Mopjij — have been booked by Bhanwarkuan police in Indore on the basis of this complaint by ABVP leader Lucky Adiwal, who is pursuing an LLM degree at the same college. They are accused of promoting and distributing the book that ‘encourages animosity between religions and promotes enmity between groups’.
Last week, on December 3, the college principal Inam Ur Rehman had resigned following an uproar in the Law College for the last three days. He submitted his resignation to Additional Director Higher Education Kiran Saluja.
Principal Rehman had then told ANI, “I am very hurt by the ruckus created by outside students. I don’t want to stay here anymore. I wanted to take this college to a higher level but I think it is not in my control. There was no bad environment of any kind here before but now they are spoiling the college environment so I am leaving.”
Owner of the publication house, Hitesh Khetrapal reportedly told the media, “There was a controversy about this book two years ago. When the matter came to light, we had a discussion with the writer and changed the pages containing controversial content. Farhat also submitted a written apology that such incident will not occur again.” (ANI)
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Madhya Pradesh: Home minister Narottam Mishra orders arrest of author, threatens to revoke PHD