By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: The Bihar government on Sunday removed controversial author J P Singh from the post of Director, Higher Education of Bihar. His book “Adhunik Bharat Mein Samajik Parivartan (Social Change in Modern India)” earned him strong criticism as he had described Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Dr. Allama Iqbal as communal and separatist leaders of Muslim community.
Sita Ram Singh, Principal of B D College, has been appointed new Director of Higher Education.
Ashraf Asthanvi showing the controversial book during dharan on 27 March 2011 in Patna[TCN Photo]
As the news about the controversial remarks against the two towering Muslim personalities spread, the community protested against author J P Singh who is also lecturer at Patna University. They demanded his removal from the post of Director, Higher Education and ban on the book. But the government did not heed to the demand.
Now several months after the issue came to light, the government decided to remove him from the post. Though the government did not specify any reason for his removal, it is said that the reason is constant demand about his removal from the Muslim community who did not only hold protest rally but also raised the issue in the assembly house as well as approached Governor.
Reacting to the new development, Ashraf Asthanvi, senior Urdu journalist and president of All India Urdu Journalists Forum said: “Though late, it is a good step yet incomplete because our demands were two — remove J P Singh from his post and ban the book and prosecute the author who tried to tarnish the image of two patriotic Muslim leaders without any proof, which is intolerable.”
Asthanvi, who led the protest against controversial book in many ways, said: “I wrote several letters to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar drawing his attention towards the issue and seeking action because it hurt the sentiments of the community but he did not heed to it. Then through some MLAs we raised the issue in the state assembly where CM did not bother to reply. When Chairman of the house asked HRD Minister of Bihar, Shri Prashant Kumar Sahi to reply, he said he was yet to see the book.”
“We also approached Governor seeking his intervention, and he wrote to CM and asked him to take the issue seriously but CM remained inactive. Seeing no action on the issue, we have filed petition in High Court which will be heard after summer vacation” he informed, adding “we hope that we will get justice from the court.