• VC of the varsity apologises
    The Statesman | 11 July 2025
  • In the wake of a raging controversy surrounding a history question paper of Vidyasagar University, where militant nationalists of India’s freedom struggle were inadvertently referred to as ‘terrorists’, the vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Dipak Kumar Kar, issued a public apology today.

    In an emotionally charged statement, Prof Kar said: “I am deeply sorry and express my sincere apology on behalf of Vidyasagar University. Personally, I am ashamed and deeply hurt. I request you all to carry my heartfelt message to every citizen of this district and beyond—especially to those who hold our freedom fighters in reverence and whose sentiments may have been hurt by this unfortunate mistake.”

    The controversy erupted after the C14 paper (Modern Nationalism in India) of the sixth semester history honours examination held yesterday included a question that asked students to name three district magistrates of Midnapore who were “killed by terrorists.” The reference was meant for British officers assassinated by revolutionary nationalists like Khudiram Bose and others—freedom fighters who hold a revered place in Bengal’s history.

    Clarifying the issue, the vice-chancellor said: “The word ‘terrorists’ was the result of a mistranslation. The original English text had the term ‘militant nationalism,’ which was wrongly translated into Bengali as “Santrasbadi” (terrorist). It was a typographical mistake, combined with an individual’s lapse in judgment.”

    “We understand this is not a minor error. It is an extremely sensitive term. Given that the subject is closely tied to the revolutionary heritage of Midnapore and the profound emotional connection people have with the sacrifices of our freedom fighters, we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness,” he added.

    The university has already suspended one moderator along with a person who was attached with the paper setting, a university source said.

    The backlash has been swift and intense. Student unions held protests on campus demanding an official apology and syllabus revision. Local historians and civil rights groups have also joined in condemning the lapse.

    Dr Prantosh Maity, secretary of the Shaheed Prashasti Samiti, a local organisation dedicated to commemorating freedom fighters, had issued a statement condemning the question. “This is a shameful attempt to portray valiant revolutionaries as mere criminals. History must remember them as patriots who fought against an oppressive empire, not as terrorists,” he said.

    Dr Maity recounted several key episodes from Midnapore’s revolutionary past that saw young freedom fighters take up arms against British administrators accused of brutality. In 1931, revolutionaries Bimal Dasgupta and Jyoti Jibon Ghosh assassinated District Magistrate James Peddy within the premises of Midnapore Collegiate School. The following year, on 30 April 1932, revolutionaries Pradyot Bhattacharya and Probanshu Pal killed district magistrate Robert Douglas during a district board meeting. A year later, on 2 September 1933, Anathbandhu Panja and Mrigen Dutt fatally shot Magistrate Bernard Burge during a football match at the police ground.

    “These young men sacrificed their lives for the nation,” said Dr Maity. “Midnapore became a symbol of resistance because of their courage. Referring to them as terrorists in a university examination is a disservice to our national history.”

    The organisation had also taken formal steps, submitting a letter of protest to the vice-chancellor of Vidyasagar University, demanding immediate clarification and a public apology. “This reflects not only academic negligence but also a dangerous trend in how the freedom struggle is being portrayed in contemporary education,” Dr. Maity added.

    The incident had reignited concerns among academics and political observers about how nationalist movements and revolutionary actions are represented in Indian textbooks and higher education syllabi. Similar debates have emerged in recent years over the portrayal of Khudiram Bose, Surya Sen, and Bhagat Singh, often categorised as revolutionary terrorists in older colonial-era historiographies, VU professor said.
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