A fresh controversy erupted at Punjabi University, Patiala, on Thursday after students discovered university staff allegedly digging a pit to bury error-ridden copies of the revered ‘Mahan Kosh’. The move triggered protests from student unions, who termed the act as “disrespectful” and “akin to desecration”.
In 2017, the university reprinted Mahan Kosh — originally authored by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha and published in 1927 — in Punjabi, Hindi and English. However, numerous translation and factual errors were flagged by scholars, particularly in the English version, which was published in four volumes.
A committee formed by SGPC later confirmed that the university had not only committed translation errors but also tampered with the original text. The Punjab and Haryana high court banned its sale.
The university had earlier decided to withdraw and destroy the flawed versions of ‘Mahan Kosh’. However, students opposed the manner in which the copies were being discarded, not the decision itself.
Student leaders Yadvinder Singh Yadu, Kuldeep Singh Jhinjer, and others alleged that burying the books, which include religious content, without following appropriate religious or cultural rituals, was deeply offensive.
“Mahan Kosh contains references from sacred texts of multiple religions. Discarding it by simply tearing and burying is not only disrespectful but amounts to sacrilege,” said Jhinjer.
{{/usCountry}}“Mahan Kosh contains references from sacred texts of multiple religions. Discarding it by simply tearing and burying is not only disrespectful but amounts to sacrilege,” said Jhinjer.
{{/usCountry}}Later in the day, student groups blocked both entry gates of the university in protest.
University officials defended their actions, stating that the burial was an eco-friendly method to dispose of the flawed material. However, no senior university authorities, including vice-chancellor Prof Jagdeep Singh or registrar Devinder Pal Sidhu, were available for comment despite repeated attempts.
HPS Kalra, who is currently holding the charge of the publication bureau of the university declined to comment.
The students, however, insisted that religious protocol should have been followed, given the sacred and literary significance of the text.
Student union leaders alleged that the university did not adhere to the Sikh maryada (code of conduct). They said the institution should have opted for a respectful method, such as immersing the volumes of ‘Mahan Kosh’ in the river. “Labourers were assigned the task of disposing of the Mahan Kosh, and they were seen handling it in a very disrespectful manner,” one of the leaders alleged.
Meanwhile, senior police officials reached the campus late on Thursday night to pacify the protesting students. The protest was lifted after the officials assured that an FIR would be registered in the matter.
Patiala SSP Varun Sharma confirmed that a case was being registered, adding that the FIR would pertain to hurting religious sentiments.
Earlier this month, a group of scholars met Punjab assembly speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and demanded that the error-ridden reprints be withdrawn and destroyed. They had issued an August 6 deadline, warning that they would go public if action was not taken within 15 days.
In response, the university had agreed to begin the disposal process — leading to the events on Thursday.