Kautilya’s GST, Manu’s globalisation leave BHU students in a quandary

VARANASI: Did you know that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) finds a mention in Kautilya’s ‘Arthshastra’ or that Manu was the first to think of the concept of globalisation?

These questions stumped the students of MA (political science) at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in the paper of social and political thought of ancient and medieval India on Monday.

“Write an essay on (the) nature of GST (Goods and Services Tax) in Kautilya’s Arthashashtra,” read the question no. 5 of the paper that carried 15 marks.

If the students did not know the answer, they were given another choice which was equally tricky.

The optional question was – “Manu is the first Indian thinker of globalization. Discuss.”

While a few students claimed that the questions were out of the syllabus, others said it was very much a part of MA (Semester I) curriculum.

Prof Kaushal Kishore Mishra, who teaches social and political thought of medieval India at the department of political science, said the question was a part of the curriculum.

Prof Mishra had also set the question paper.

“The topic ‘Social and political thought of medieval India’ covers political thinkers like Kautilya, Kamandak, Shukra and taxation system in monarchy. It covers political ideas of Shantiparva (the Mahabharat) and the Ramayana. It also covers Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Tenets of Islam are also a part of the subject,” Prof Mishra said.

“I have been teaching the subject for the last 40 years. The taxation system in monarchy is a part of Kautilya’s ‘Arthshastra’. It talks of single tax system, including 13 slabs. Those saying that the question is not a part of the syllabus have no idea of the topic. It was introduced in the syllabus in 1939,” he said.

He claimed the idea of GST was taken from ‘Arthshastra’.

Justifying the second optional question, Prof Mishra said Manu talked of the globe and was the first global thinker.

“It has been widely discussed in the book ‘Manusmriti me Rajtantra’ (pages 57-65). Manu’s ideas were discussed in China, the Philippines, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Japan and many other countries,” he said.

“There is no doubt about it. It has been proved in a research at the department of political science, BHU,” he said.

“Both the questions are from the syllabus. We were taught the topics in the classroom. Claiming that the questions were not taught is inappropriate,” said Rahul Srivastava, an examinee.

Another student, Patanjali, said the idea of GST was picked from ‘Arthshastra’.

“Both the questions troubled many students. Kautilya is in our syllabus course but Kautilya’s GST is not. As there was another choice, I somehow

attempted the optional question,” a student said on condition of anonymity.

Dhanajay Tripathi of the joint action committee of likeminded BHU said, “The taxation system that ‘Arthashastra’ discusses and the GST are in no way connected.

‘Arthashastra’ was for monarchy and GST has been introduced in a democracy. It is not appropriate to link GST and Kautilya and create a question for the examination paper.”

“The professor is trying to implement the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the university. The question that the Manu was a global thinker exposes his mindset,” he said.