Congress president Rahul Gandhi has criticised an attempt by a Delhi University academic body to drop three books by academic Kancha Ilaiah from the syllabus, calling it a part of the RSS’s design to keep shudras (backward) and Dalits disempowered.

Last week, the Standing Committee on Academic Affairs (SCAA) had recommended the dropping of the books — Why I am not a Hindu, Post Hindu India and God as a Political Philosopher: Buddha’s Challenge to Brahminism — from the list of suggested reading.

Members of the BJP-backed National Democratic Teachers’ Front had opposed the books, saying they were anti-Hindu.

On Friday, Rahul wrote to Ilaiah to express his opposition to the “majoritarian move” by DU’s panel. “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s fascism is apparent in this move. Their aggressive move to propagate a unilateral view on Hinduism is deplorable,” he said.“I hope the AC (academic council) rejects the move by the DU’s SCAA and students are able to read divergent views and form their own opinions instead of towing the line of the RSS,” Rahul wrote.

Ilaiah described Rahul’s letter as “a great support” for maintaining academic standards in institutions.