Three, a research institute entrusted with thousands of valuable manuscripts and rare books demanded a ban on the book. Could one trust it for retaining the intellectual heritage with fortitude in the light of this act? Four, ever since the BORI passed this resolution, there is no whimper of protest from the academic community. Is not the BORI a public institution and does it not have to answer to the academic community?

The episode at the MS University Baroda only showcases what may be a more generic ailment with the academic and intellectual community in India. The idea of creative and academic autonomy is not ingrained in Indian academia. It is easy to blame it on parties and governments and protestors. But are we as academics really interested in the idea of academic freedom? Are we too afraid to pay the price of upholding the freedom? Or is it just that we are so callous as an intellectual community, and so removed from the world of ideas and creativity, that we genuinely do not appreciate the value of academic autonomy? Combined with the near unanimous disregard of academic freedom by the entire political establishment across party lines, the abdication of its role by the academic community is indicative of our democratic pretensions.

The writer teaches political science at the University of Pune