Don't refer Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad as terrorists: HRD Ministry to DU

Amid a bitter row over portrayal of legendary revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad and others as terrorists in a Delhi University book, the Human Resources Development Ministry has cautioned the university to make corrections.

New Delhi: Amid a bitter row over portrayal of legendary revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad and others as terrorists in a Delhi University history book, the Human Resources Development Ministry has now cautioned the university to make corrections.

Reports on Thursday said that the HRD Ministry has written a letter to the University of Delhi, asking it to avoid using the word "terrorist" while referring to freedom fighters as ''it could hurt national sentiments".

The ministry, in its letter, reportedly said that the word today has a different meaning of terrorists, so any reference to freedom fighters should be done with great caution.

It is believed that the letter from the HRD Ministry was sent after it came to light that a book, which has been part of Delhi University's history curriculum, refers to Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Surya Sen and other freedom fighters as "revolutionary terrorists".

The book titled "India's Struggle for Independence" has been co-authored by noted historian Bipin Chadra and Mridula Mukherjee.

The controversial book mentions several freedom fighters as "revolutionary terrorists" in Chapter 20. The book also calls the Chittagong movement a 'terrorist act', while Sanders killing has been called an 'act of terrorism'.

Bhagat Singh's family had raised serious objections to the term prompting the HRD Ministry to ask Delhi University to make amends. The family members had written to the HRD Minister Smriti Irani seeking her intervention in this regard and demanded appropriate changes in the textbook.