Bir Devinder wants Manto back in syllabus

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 12

Criticising the decision of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Punjabi University, to remove legendary raconteur of Partition Saadat Hasan Manto from the MA Punjabi (Honours) course, former Speaker Bir Devinder Singh today demanded that the “irrational” decision be revised.

In a statement, he said: We recently celebrated Manto’s birth centenary with great passion. A commemorative function was organised at Manto’s native village Paproudi near Samrala in Ludihana district on September 5, 2012. His three daughters Nighat Patil, Nusrat Jalal and Nuzhat Aishad came from Pakistan to attend the function.

“I recall that VC Dr Jaspal Singh not only participated in the function at Samrala, he also played a pivotal role in organising a seminar at Punjabi University where scholars of eminence relived Manto through their narratives. I am of the firm view that Manto is even more relevant today, “ Bir Devinder said.

He said while he had no objection to a collection of stories by Japanese writers being included in the syllabus for MA (Honours), it should not be Manto’s cost. “He cannot be omitted from the courses of studies, so insouciantly and arbitrarily,” he said. He appealed to the VC to revise the “regressive decision” of the Board of Postgraduate Studies.