‘Hinduphobic’ Books In Law College: SC Grants Relief To Law College Professor

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Dr Mirza Moziz Beg, in relation to a FIR filed against him over allegations of promoting Hinduphobia and anti-India propaganda at a Law College.

A bench of Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Dipankar Dattapassed the order granting anticipatory bail to Dr Beg.

In this case

The student wing of the Rashtriya Syayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), had been protesting since December 1, 2022, over what they claimed was a “Hinduphobic” book in the library of the Shasakiya Navin Vidhi Mahavidyalaya (New Government Law College) in Indore.

The allegations resulted in faculty suspensions, the resignation of the Principal, Prof Inamur Rehman, and the filing of a police report. Dr Farhat Khan’s books, ‘Collective Violence and the Criminal Justice System’ and ‘Women and Criminal Law,’ were involved.

The former contains a section on the treatment of women in Hindu society, with the claim that Hindu women were instruments of lust fulfillment in a male-dominated world, and that scriptures revealed how they were subservient to men.

Prof Rehman and Assistant Prof Dr Mirza Beg were suspended with immediate effect, according to the State Higher Education Minister. A first information report (FIR) was filed in response to a complaint filed by an LL.M. student at the college with ties to the ABVP.

In February, Dr. Beg moved the Supreme Court after the Madhya Pradesh High Court denied his anticipatory bail application.

He denied all of the charges leveled against him, claiming that the book was purchased by the college in 2014, long before he was hired on a contractual basis.

He also informed the Court that the book had been part of the Master’s curriculum for over 18 years and was taught to all postgraduates specializing in criminal law throughout Madhya Pradesh.