All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) acclaims the role of Prof. Irfan Habib, Professor (Emeritus), Aligarh Muslim University and outgoing president of Indian History Congress (IHC) for raising his voice in an official body against the rising intolerance to democratic norms by the man in power. And AIDSO also appreciates his stand against the Governor of Kerala for transgressing his office to turn IHC into his political arena.
Sourav Ghosh, the General Secretary of AIDSO has said in a press statement that the 80th Session of the Indian History Congress was inaugurated on 28 December 2019. In his inaugural speech, Shri. Arif Mohammed Khan, the Governor of Kerala did not read the written text but opted to go extempore. He started not only defending the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but also hurled abusing words towards the protesters of CAA with a communal fervour. On hearing such comments, some delegates of the IHC protested against political remarks of the Governor. As the protests commenced, Prof. Irfan Habib who was on the dais in the capacity of being the outgoing President of the IHC, proceeded to refrain Governor from transgression. As soon as Professor Habib got up from his seat, the ADC and the security officer of the Governor pushed him and tried to stop him. Instead of apologising to one of the senior-most historians of the country for the misdeeds of his ADC and security officers, the Governor through his tweet is spreading falsehood and claiming instead that the professor pushed the ADC and security officer! Soon a host of researchers were also detained. This is not an isolated incident. Efforts were also made to politicise Indian Science Congress too.
In this situation, AIDSO lauds Prof. Irfan Habib for his courageous role and at the same time condemns the unconstitutional act of the Kerala Governor to convert IHC into a political platform. AIDSO also demands that the professional and academic bodies like Indian History Congress & Indian Science Congress must relish autonomy and work according to their norms and Govt. should not interfere in their activities by any manner of means.
