On Monday, Penguin agreed to withdraw all copies of US scholar Wendy Doniger's book, 'The Hindus: An Alternative History' in response to a case filed by Dina Nath Batra, the convenor of a Hindu group called the Shiksha Bachao Andolan, and five other complainants.
Their case was filed in 2011 against Doniger, a respected academic at the University of Chicago, and against Penguin India and Penguin USA. The complainants claimed that the book denigrated Hinduism.
Here are five claims that appear in their petition.
1. Doninger's approach to Hinduism has been sexual
The petition cites a sentence on page 15 of the book which states, “The Sanskrit texts [cited in my lecture] were written at a time of glorious sexual openness and insight, and I have focused precisely those parts of the texts.”
The legal notice against her concludes, "So the approach of YOU NOTICEE has been jaundiced, your approach is that of a woman hungry of sex."
2. The book misrepresents the significance of the Shiv lingam
The petition states that Doniger "should be aware that in Hinduism linga is an abstract symbol of God [Shiva] with no sexual connotations but YOU NOTICEE emphasizes only those texts which portray linga as erect male sexual organ [page 22]. This shows your shallow knowledge of the Great Hindu religion and also your perverse mindset."
3. The book is disrespectful of Hinduism
Says the petition, “If the motto of Watergate was ‘Follow the money’, the motto of the history of Hinduism could well be ‘Follow the monkey’ or, more often ‘Follow the horse’.” This shows the malice and contempt YOU NOTICEE have for Hinduism."
4. The role of the RSS in Gandhi's assassination is misrepresented
Says the petition, "YOU NOTICEE incorrectly inform your readers that RSS was responsible for assassination of MK Gandhi. In fact years ago a judicial Commission has exonerated RSS of any complicity in murder of Gandhi."
5. Doniger is lost in a cultural jungle
The petition states, "YOU NOTICEE have committed a basic blunder to treat all books written in Sanskrit by all and sundry as sacred scriptures at par with the Vedas, and, without applying mind YOU NOTICEE have liberally quoted one against another just to belittle and distort the Hinduism in eyes of readers. In this process YOU NOTICEE have ended up confusing your readers about Hinduism. That YOU NOTICEE is lost in what you yourself call ‘cultural jungle’ as you have not fully grasped Hinduism yourself."
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Their case was filed in 2011 against Doniger, a respected academic at the University of Chicago, and against Penguin India and Penguin USA. The complainants claimed that the book denigrated Hinduism.
Here are five claims that appear in their petition.
1. Doninger's approach to Hinduism has been sexual
The petition cites a sentence on page 15 of the book which states, “The Sanskrit texts [cited in my lecture] were written at a time of glorious sexual openness and insight, and I have focused precisely those parts of the texts.”
The legal notice against her concludes, "So the approach of YOU NOTICEE has been jaundiced, your approach is that of a woman hungry of sex."
2. The book misrepresents the significance of the Shiv lingam
The petition states that Doniger "should be aware that in Hinduism linga is an abstract symbol of God [Shiva] with no sexual connotations but YOU NOTICEE emphasizes only those texts which portray linga as erect male sexual organ [page 22]. This shows your shallow knowledge of the Great Hindu religion and also your perverse mindset."
3. The book is disrespectful of Hinduism
Says the petition, “If the motto of Watergate was ‘Follow the money’, the motto of the history of Hinduism could well be ‘Follow the monkey’ or, more often ‘Follow the horse’.” This shows the malice and contempt YOU NOTICEE have for Hinduism."
4. The role of the RSS in Gandhi's assassination is misrepresented
Says the petition, "YOU NOTICEE incorrectly inform your readers that RSS was responsible for assassination of MK Gandhi. In fact years ago a judicial Commission has exonerated RSS of any complicity in murder of Gandhi."
5. Doniger is lost in a cultural jungle
The petition states, "YOU NOTICEE have committed a basic blunder to treat all books written in Sanskrit by all and sundry as sacred scriptures at par with the Vedas, and, without applying mind YOU NOTICEE have liberally quoted one against another just to belittle and distort the Hinduism in eyes of readers. In this process YOU NOTICEE have ended up confusing your readers about Hinduism. That YOU NOTICEE is lost in what you yourself call ‘cultural jungle’ as you have not fully grasped Hinduism yourself."