On Friday, the Academic Council of Delhi University passed a motion to scrap a chapter on Pakistan's national poet Muhammad Iqbal, also known as Allama Iqbal, from the political science syllabus.

Born in 1877 in Sialkot in undivided India, Iqbal penned the famous song 'Saare jahan se achha'. He is also known for giving birth to the 'idea of Pakistan'.

Chapter on poet is part of BA syllabus

The chapter titled 'Modern Indian Political Thought' is part of BA's sixth-semester paper, officials said, adding that the matter will now be raised before the university's Executive Council, which will take the final call.

"A motion was brought regarding a change in the syllabus of political science. As per the motion, there was a chapter on Iqbal that has been removed from the syllabus," said an Academic Council member.

Unit on Iqbal titled 'Iqbal: Community'

A unit on Iqbal titled 'Iqbal: Community', which is part of the syllabus, was reviewed by news agency PTI.

There are 11 units in the course intending to study important themes through individual thinkers.

Other scholars in the course include Rammohan Roy, Pandita Ramabai, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, and Bhimrao Ambedkar.

"The course has been designed to give students a glimpse into the richness and diversity within the Indian political thought," the syllabus mentions.

The course is aimed to equip students with a critical understanding of modern Indian thought, it adds.

"The thematic exploration of ideas is meant to locate the topical debates on important subjects on a historical trajectory and reflect over the diverse possibilities exhibited in the writings of the respective thinkers," it further stated.

Iqbal was liable for India's partition: ABVP

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) welcomed the development by stating that "fanatic theological scholar" Iqbal was liable for India's partition.

"Delhi University academic council decided to scrap fanatic theological scholar Mohd Iqbal from DU's political science syllabus. It was previously included in BA's sixth-semester paper titled 'Modern Indian political thought," the ABVP said in a statement.

"Mohammad Iqbal is called the 'philosophical father of Pakistan'. He was the key player in establishing Jinnah as a leader in Muslim League. Mohammad Iqbal is as responsible for India's partition as Mohammad Ali Jinnah is," it added.