Amid the row over references to Jawaharlal Nehru being dropped from a school textbook in Rajasthan, the country's first Prime Minister has now gone missing from an MA course book of Mumbai University, which also questions the secular credentials of Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
The book titled 'Modern Indian Political Thought', for Master of Arts (MA) course under the MU's Distance Learning Programme, is meant for the upcoming academic year and is not yet available in the market.
The course is conducted by the Institute of Distance and Open Learning of the varsity.
The MU has ordered an inquiry by an Expert Committee while conceding that the views expressed in the book by Professor Jondhale appear to be "objectionable".
Though there is no mention about Nehru's contribution to the freedom struggle and nation building, several important leaders of independence movement find mention in the book.
The book states that Mahatma Gandhi used too many "Hindu idioms and similes" and pushed Muhammad Ali Jinnah to break away and form Pakistan. It adds that the only side that did not play politics over religion was the Left.
Earlier this month, references to Nehru were removed from two chapters in the revised social science textbook for class VIII of Rajasthan Board.
A passage in the MU book on Tilak reads, "Starting of Ganesh festival and invoking religious scriptures such as Bhagvad Gita for political actions were clear examples of mixing religion with politics and attitude that was categorically anti-secular".
Issuing a statement on the row, the MU said the content of the book is prima facie objectionable.
"The syllabus of the MA political science book is under the three-year distance learning programme. Recent controversy is on the views published in the book by Professor Jondhale, which seem to be objectionable prima facie.
"Vice-Chancellor Dr Sanjay Deshmukh has ordered inquiry by an expert committee. Appropriate action will be taken after receiving the report," said Dr M A Khan, Registrar, University of Mumbai.
Jain said she was careful about not crossing the thin line
between telling the story to preaching the reader.
"This is no self-help book because it is not advising or seeking to teach. The book relates the experiences of these women and how they dealt with various struggles they came by. But, yes I do believe that there are lessons in there to be unearthed," said the author.
The author points it out in her book that it is a world that never expects man to prove his allegiance to his family in pursuit of his career but a woman has to demonstrate, at every step.
"They have organised their lives and routines in a manner that allows them to pursue their goals and yet manage to strike the necessary work-life balance. They do not indulge in self-pity and instead think positive and look for solutions," said Jain.
When queried why the book - that includes profile of women like Nita Ambani, Parmeshwar Godrej, Ritu Kumar- does not have the conventional rags to riches story, Jain said, "I don't think any one struggle is more arduous than the other; it is about how one faces up to them that is more relevant."
The piece de resistance in the book is a description of Shabana Azmi of her poet husband Javed Akhtar as someone "who doesn't have a single romantic bone his body" -- this after he has penned reams of poetry on romance.
Jain said through this book's journey she has picked up valuable life lessons which she plan to carry with her in life ahead.
When asked about her expectation from the book, the author said, "My biggest hope for this book is that every reader is compelled to buy three books - one for their bedside table, one for their work desk and one to give away.
