Lucknow University (LU) on Thursday mooted a proposal to include the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in its political science department syllabus and announced that the new law would the subject of its annual debate in February.
Head of Department (Political Science), Shashi Shukla said the CAA was chosen as it was the “most discussed topic today” and was “connected with the Constitution and politics of India."
Ms. Shukla said a proposal would be put before the university's Board of Studies for inclusion of the CAA in the syllabus. “If it is passed, it will go to the Faculty Board and then to the Academic Council, and after being passed by it, it [CAA] will be taught here.”
The topic of the debate, in which several colleges affiliated to the varsity would participate, would be “CAA is in the interest of India”, she said.
The university received a proposal from students that the CAA be included in the debate, she claimed. She praised the government for passing the law. The step must have been taken in “national interest”, she said.
Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati said including the “highly controversial and divisive” CAA in the LU syllabus was “fully wrong and improper” when the matter was in court. “The BSP strictly opposes this and if the party comes to power in UP, will withdraw it,” she tweeted.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the LU proposal, saying that if the current situation prevailed, soon the biography of “mukhiyaji” would be taught in the varsity. “And instead of the lectures, his sermons will be taught and his “chitrakatha” will be be included in the children's education,” he said. He was probably referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘mukhiyaji’, which means the headman or chief.
