Khalji did not destroy Nalanda. As a part of their larger agenda of demonizing Muslims and Muslim... more Khalji did not destroy Nalanda. As a part of their larger agenda of demonizing Muslims and Muslim rulers, the Hindutva brigade is claiming that Bakhtiyar Khaljī destroyed the Nalanda University. However, there is no evidence to show that it was Bakhtiyar Khaljī who destroyed Nalanda.
Contrary to modern belief of Hindus that Cow is like a mother, they used to slaughter cows in anc... more Contrary to modern belief of Hindus that Cow is like a mother, they used to slaughter cows in ancient India according to Hindu texts.
Sultan died fighting against the British on 4 th May 1799. His body was buried next to his father... more Sultan died fighting against the British on 4 th May 1799. His body was buried next to his father Haider Ali's body in Srirangapatna. Ever since the Congress led Government of Karnataka started celebrating Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary in 2016 Tipu Sultan is being raised from the dead every year and pitched battles are being fought in Karnataka between the admirers of Tipu Sultan and the BJP-RSS combine.
CSP-The Marxist Party 3.1. The ideological content of the Congress Socialist Party at the time of... more CSP-The Marxist Party 3.1. The ideological content of the Congress Socialist Party at the time of its foundation was varied. There were many schools of socialist thought among the leaders of the Party like Marxists, Democratic Socialists, Gandhians and even Royists. But the Party declared itself to be a Marxist Party.
A part of a brief history of the democratic socialist movement in India detailing the birth of th... more A part of a brief history of the democratic socialist movement in India detailing the birth of the Congress Socialist Party led by Jayaprakash Narayan and others.
Liberty, equality and fraternity are the universally accepted normative or core values of social ... more Liberty, equality and fraternity are the universally accepted normative or core values of social democracy or democratic socialism. Though prima facie they appear to be a harmonious triad, a deeper investigation would reveal subtle contradictions between them. Democratic socialists will have to resolve the contradictions not only at the philosophical level but also at the mundane level to achieve the kind of society they would like to build.
Efforts are being made by the Hindutva partisans to prove that the excavations in Sinauli are rev... more Efforts are being made by the Hindutva partisans to prove that the excavations in Sinauli are revealing a Vedic culture. An effort to know how far it is correct.
lawyer by profession and a democratic socialist by inclination.
[email protected],
mob: 97393... more lawyer by profession and a democratic socialist by inclination. [email protected], mob: 9739374932.
The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha ... more The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha Combine along with their fringe organizations known as the Hindutva Brigade, to 're-write' (some say re-right) Indian history are not new. The Brigade has been clamoring for rewriting Indian history ever since the days of the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha, the earliest incarnation of the Brigade when its father figure V.D. Savarkar tried his hand at rewriting Indian history. But then it started gathering steam after 1977 when it shared power at the center as part of the then Janata Party and went full steam under Murli Manohar Joshi who was the Human Resources Development Minister in Atal Bihari Vajapeyi's Ministry from 1998 to 2004. Without a committed and pro-active HRD Minister in Modi's Ministries, the efforts are now limping, though very much alive and kicking. Kicking because recently Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a seminar at Banaras Hindu University, spoke about the need to "rewrite history" from an "Indian point of view" and went on to ask, "who is stopping us from amending history". While he was only a Home Minister and was hence talking about 'amending' history, it must be noted at the beginning itself, that for the Brigade, 'Indian' means 'Hindu' and hence what the Minister meant by 'Indian point of view' was actually 'Hindu point of view'. 2. History is based on evidence-written, numismatic, archeological, or otherwise and its interpretation. Interpretations can be changed depending on the theory that one develops based on the available data. For example, the theory of Aryan invasion has been changed to the theory of Aryan migration, but both the theories are based on two different interpretations of the same set of facts. However, if new data is discovered, then also history can be rewritten to integrate the new data in the existing matrix or to develop a new theory. Hence history is constantly rewritten as new data is found warranting rewriting. The Hindutva Brigade and the rewriting of Indian History Page 2 of 28 3. Subir Roy, a senior journalist says "It is not as if history is not rewritten. That is in fact a continuous process. Revisionism is the birthright of every new generation of historians. In fact, you can come closer to the truth only through a process of repeated re-evaluation". 1 4. If the efforts of the Brigade were only aimed at rewriting Indian history, there was no need to take it seriously. However, the Brigade's clamor for rewriting history has not only to be taken seriously but also even countered forcefully as it is a significant part of the Brigade's agenda to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. 5. Here is an instance of what is the objective of the exercise. The Union Minister for Culture in NDA-1, Mahesh Sharma, appointed a 14 member committee with K.N.Dikshit as the Chairman, to rewrite the ancient Indian History with the aim of proving that Hindus were the original inhabitants of India and that the epics are histories and not myths. Reuters reported that the Chairman said that these are the conclusions that the committee wants to reach. So, the committee was not to investigate and find out if the propositions were true but was to reach those conclusions. 6. Nobody can prevent anybody from writing or rewriting history, whether as a new interpretation of the existing data or on finding new data. But the Brigade lacks the talent required for such an exercise. It has not been able to produce any scholarly and significant writing or rewriting of Indian history. In its 17.12.2001 issue, the Outlook said that "The Hindutva brigade is sadly short of historians to claim as its own." Even Dr.R.C.Majumdar, whom the Brigade tries to claim as their man, did not agree with K.M.Munshi's theory that India was the Aryan homeland and even refused to write articles for an RSS weekly since it had published articles claiming that the monuments like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal had been built by Hindu Kings. 7. The names flaunted as writers or re-writers of Indian history from the Hindutva point of view are the likes of P.N. Oak and Dinanath Batra, both of whom qualify more as political propogandists than as historians. The only other name was that of Archeologist B.B. Lal. However, the main grievance of the Brigade is that the 'text-books' prescribed, particularly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for the pre-degree classes prepared by the left and liberal oriented historians, have presented a distorted history of India undermining Hindu culture and giving undue importance to Muslim culture. Batra calls these textbook writers as "The Enemies of Indianization: The Children of Marx, Macaulay and Madarsa". 2 8. Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee, both Professors of History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retort by saying that these Hindutva historians are "the direct descendants of James Mill, who first divided the history of India into Hindu period, Muslim period and British period" 3. However, the Brigade does not feel any remorse while chartering the services of foreigners like David Frawly, awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Modi Government and Koenraad Elst who had said that "Every Muslim is a Sita who must be released from Ravana's prison. We should help Muslims in freeing themselves from Islam …". 4 9. The Brigade's plan to rewrite Indian history is an important segment of its overall plan for creating a Hindu Rashtra. Hence, they say that the History of India should be rewritten from the Hindu or Hindutva point of view. But to construct a new structure they must first demolish the existing structure, as the continued existence of the earlier structure would result in comparison and offer a choice to the people. Perhaps they wish to do it at two levels. First, at the level of textbooks, firstly by getting what they consider as 'offensive' portions removed from the existing textbooks and secondly thereafter writing new textbooks from the Hindutva point of view inserting information which they think helps in their project. Second, at the level of books on History, 2 Title of the Book published in 2001.
The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha ... more The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha Combine along with their fringe organizations known as the Hindutva Brigade, to 're-write' (some say re-right) Indian history are not new. The Brigade has been clamoring for rewriting Indian history ever since the days of the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha, the earliest incarnation of the Brigade when its father figure V.D. Savarkar tried his hand at rewriting Indian history. But then it started gathering steam after 1977 when it shared power at the center as part of the then Janata Party and went full steam under Murli Manohar Joshi who was the Human Resources Development Minister in Atal Bihari Vajapeyi's Ministry from 1998 to 2004. Without a committed and pro-active HRD Minister in Modi's Ministries, the efforts are now limping, though very much alive and kicking. Kicking because recently Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a seminar at Banaras Hindu University, spoke about the need to "rewrite history" from an "Indian point of view" and went on to ask, "who is stopping us from amending history". While he was only a Home Minister and was hence talking about 'amending' history, it must be noted at the beginning itself, that for the Brigade, 'Indian' means 'Hindu' and hence what the Minister meant by 'Indian point of view' was actually 'Hindu point of view'. 2. History is based on evidence-written, numismatic, archeological, or otherwise and its interpretation. Interpretations can be changed depending on the theory that one develops based on the available data. For example, the theory of Aryan invasion has been changed to the theory of Aryan migration, but both the theories are based on two different interpretations of the same set of facts. However, if new data is discovered, then also history can be rewritten to integrate the new data in the existing matrix or to develop a new theory. Hence history is constantly rewritten as new data is found warranting rewriting. The Hindutva Brigade and the rewriting of Indian History Page 2 of 28 3. Subir Roy, a senior journalist says "It is not as if history is not rewritten. That is in fact a continuous process. Revisionism is the birthright of every new generation of historians. In fact, you can come closer to the truth only through a process of repeated re-evaluation". 1 4. If the efforts of the Brigade were only aimed at rewriting Indian history, there was no need to take it seriously. However, the Brigade's clamor for rewriting history has not only to be taken seriously but also even countered forcefully as it is a significant part of the Brigade's agenda to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. 5. Here is an instance of what is the objective of the exercise. The Union Minister for Culture in NDA-1, Mahesh Sharma, appointed a 14 member committee with K.N.Dikshit as the Chairman, to rewrite the ancient Indian History with the aim of proving that Hindus were the original inhabitants of India and that the epics are histories and not myths. Reuters reported that the Chairman said that these are the conclusions that the committee wants to reach. So, the committee was not to investigate and find out if the propositions were true but was to reach those conclusions. 6. Nobody can prevent anybody from writing or rewriting history, whether as a new interpretation of the existing data or on finding new data. But the Brigade lacks the talent required for such an exercise. It has not been able to produce any scholarly and significant writing or rewriting of Indian history. In its 17.12.2001 issue, the Outlook said that "The Hindutva brigade is sadly short of historians to claim as its own." Even Dr.R.C.Majumdar, whom the Brigade tries to claim as their man, did not agree with K.M.Munshi's theory that India was the Aryan homeland and even refused to write articles for an RSS weekly since it had published articles claiming that the monuments like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal had been built by Hindu Kings. 7. The names flaunted as writers or re-writers of Indian history from the Hindutva point of view are the likes of P.N. Oak and Dinanath Batra, both of whom qualify more as political propogandists than as historians. The only other name was that of Archeologist B.B. Lal. However, the main grievance of the Brigade is that the 'text-books' prescribed, particularly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for the pre-degree classes prepared by the left and liberal oriented historians, have presented a distorted history of India undermining Hindu culture and giving undue importance to Muslim culture. Batra calls these textbook writers as "The Enemies of Indianization: The Children of Marx, Macaulay and Madarsa". 2 8. Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee, both Professors of History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retort by saying that these Hindutva historians are "the direct descendants of James Mill, who first divided the history of India into Hindu period, Muslim period and British period" 3. However, the Brigade does not feel any remorse while chartering the services of foreigners like David Frawly, awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Modi Government and Koenraad Elst who had said that "Every Muslim is a Sita who must be released from Ravana's prison. We should help Muslims in freeing themselves from Islam …". 4 9. The Brigade's plan to rewrite Indian history is an important segment of its overall plan for creating a Hindu Rashtra. Hence, they say that the History of India should be rewritten from the Hindu or Hindutva point of view. But to construct a new structure they must first demolish the existing structure, as the continued existence of the earlier structure would result in comparison and offer a choice to the people. Perhaps they wish to do it at two levels. First, at the level of textbooks, firstly by getting what they consider as 'offensive' portions removed from the existing textbooks and secondly thereafter writing new textbooks from the Hindutva point of view inserting information which they think helps in their project. Second, at the level of books on History, 2 Title of the Book published in 2001.
The Hindutva Brigade and the re-writing of Indian History, 2021
The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha ... more The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha Combine along with their fringe organizations known as the Hindutva Brigade, to 're-write' (some say re-right) Indian history are not new. The Brigade has been clamoring for rewriting Indian history ever since the days of the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha, the earliest incarnation of the Brigade when its father figure V.D. Savarkar tried his hand at rewriting Indian history. But then it started gathering steam after 1977 when it shared power at the center as part of the then Janata Party and went full steam under Murli Manohar Joshi who was the Human Resources Development Minister in Atal Bihari Vajapeyi's Ministry from 1998 to 2004. Without a committed and pro-active HRD Minister in Modi's Ministries, the efforts are now limping, though very much alive and kicking. Kicking because recently Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a seminar at Banaras Hindu University, spoke about the need to "rewrite history" from an "Indian point of view" and went on to ask, "who is stopping us from amending history". While he was only a Home Minister and was hence talking about 'amending' history, it must be noted at the beginning itself, that for the Brigade, 'Indian' means 'Hindu' and hence what the Minister meant by 'Indian point of view' was actually 'Hindu point of view'. 2. History is based on evidence-written, numismatic, archeological, or otherwise and its interpretation. Interpretations can be changed depending on the theory that one develops based on the available data. For example, the theory of Aryan invasion has been changed to the theory of Aryan migration, but both the theories are based on two different interpretations of the same set of facts. However, if new data is discovered, then also history can be rewritten to integrate the new data in the existing matrix or to develop a new theory. Hence history is constantly rewritten as new data is found warranting rewriting. The Hindutva Brigade and the rewriting of Indian History Page 2 of 28 3. Subir Roy, a senior journalist says "It is not as if history is not rewritten. That is in fact a continuous process. Revisionism is the birthright of every new generation of historians. In fact, you can come closer to the truth only through a process of repeated re-evaluation". 1 4. If the efforts of the Brigade were only aimed at rewriting Indian history, there was no need to take it seriously. However, the Brigade's clamor for rewriting history has not only to be taken seriously but also even countered forcefully as it is a significant part of the Brigade's agenda to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. 5. Here is an instance of what is the objective of the exercise. The Union Minister for Culture in NDA-1, Mahesh Sharma, appointed a 14 member committee with K.N.Dikshit as the Chairman, to rewrite the ancient Indian History with the aim of proving that Hindus were the original inhabitants of India and that the epics are histories and not myths. Reuters reported that the Chairman said that these are the conclusions that the committee wants to reach. So, the committee was not to investigate and find out if the propositions were true but was to reach those conclusions. 6. Nobody can prevent anybody from writing or rewriting history, whether as a new interpretation of the existing data or on finding new data. But the Brigade lacks the talent required for such an exercise. It has not been able to produce any scholarly and significant writing or rewriting of Indian history. In its 17.12.2001 issue, the Outlook said that "The Hindutva brigade is sadly short of historians to claim as its own." Even Dr.R.C.Majumdar, whom the Brigade tries to claim as their man, did not agree with K.M.Munshi's theory that India was the Aryan homeland and even refused to write articles for an RSS weekly since it had published articles claiming that the monuments like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal had been built by Hindu Kings. 7. The names flaunted as writers or re-writers of Indian history from the Hindutva point of view are the likes of P.N. Oak and Dinanath Batra, both of whom qualify more as political propogandists than as historians. The only other name was that of Archeologist B.B. Lal. However, the main grievance of the Brigade is that the 'text-books' prescribed, particularly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for the pre-degree classes prepared by the left and liberal oriented historians, have presented a distorted history of India undermining Hindu culture and giving undue importance to Muslim culture. Batra calls these textbook writers as "The Enemies of Indianization: The Children of Marx, Macaulay and Madarsa". 2 8. Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee, both Professors of History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retort by saying that these Hindutva historians are "the direct descendants of James Mill, who first divided the history of India into Hindu period, Muslim period and British period" 3. However, the Brigade does not feel any remorse while chartering the services of foreigners like David Frawly, awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Modi Government and Koenraad Elst who had said that "Every Muslim is a Sita who must be released from Ravana's prison. We should help Muslims in freeing themselves from Islam …". 4 9. The Brigade's plan to rewrite Indian history is an important segment of its overall plan for creating a Hindu Rashtra. Hence, they say that the History of India should be rewritten from the Hindu or Hindutva point of view. But to construct a new structure they must first demolish the existing structure, as the continued existence of the earlier structure would result in comparison and offer a choice to the people. Perhaps they wish to do it at two levels. First, at the level of textbooks, firstly by getting what they consider as 'offensive' portions removed from the existing textbooks and secondly thereafter writing new textbooks from the Hindutva point of view inserting information which they think helps in their project. Second, at the level of books on History, 2 Title of the Book published in 2001.
Khalji did not destroy Nalanda. As a part of their larger agenda of demonizing Muslims and Muslim... more Khalji did not destroy Nalanda. As a part of their larger agenda of demonizing Muslims and Muslim rulers, the Hindutva brigade is claiming that Bakhtiyar Khaljī destroyed the Nalanda University. However, there is no evidence to show that it was Bakhtiyar Khaljī who destroyed Nalanda.
Contrary to modern belief of Hindus that Cow is like a mother, they used to slaughter cows in anc... more Contrary to modern belief of Hindus that Cow is like a mother, they used to slaughter cows in ancient India according to Hindu texts.
Sultan died fighting against the British on 4 th May 1799. His body was buried next to his father... more Sultan died fighting against the British on 4 th May 1799. His body was buried next to his father Haider Ali's body in Srirangapatna. Ever since the Congress led Government of Karnataka started celebrating Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary in 2016 Tipu Sultan is being raised from the dead every year and pitched battles are being fought in Karnataka between the admirers of Tipu Sultan and the BJP-RSS combine.
CSP-The Marxist Party 3.1. The ideological content of the Congress Socialist Party at the time of... more CSP-The Marxist Party 3.1. The ideological content of the Congress Socialist Party at the time of its foundation was varied. There were many schools of socialist thought among the leaders of the Party like Marxists, Democratic Socialists, Gandhians and even Royists. But the Party declared itself to be a Marxist Party.
A part of a brief history of the democratic socialist movement in India detailing the birth of th... more A part of a brief history of the democratic socialist movement in India detailing the birth of the Congress Socialist Party led by Jayaprakash Narayan and others.
Liberty, equality and fraternity are the universally accepted normative or core values of social ... more Liberty, equality and fraternity are the universally accepted normative or core values of social democracy or democratic socialism. Though prima facie they appear to be a harmonious triad, a deeper investigation would reveal subtle contradictions between them. Democratic socialists will have to resolve the contradictions not only at the philosophical level but also at the mundane level to achieve the kind of society they would like to build.
Efforts are being made by the Hindutva partisans to prove that the excavations in Sinauli are rev... more Efforts are being made by the Hindutva partisans to prove that the excavations in Sinauli are revealing a Vedic culture. An effort to know how far it is correct.
lawyer by profession and a democratic socialist by inclination.
[email protected],
mob: 97393... more lawyer by profession and a democratic socialist by inclination. [email protected], mob: 9739374932.
The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha ... more The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha Combine along with their fringe organizations known as the Hindutva Brigade, to 're-write' (some say re-right) Indian history are not new. The Brigade has been clamoring for rewriting Indian history ever since the days of the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha, the earliest incarnation of the Brigade when its father figure V.D. Savarkar tried his hand at rewriting Indian history. But then it started gathering steam after 1977 when it shared power at the center as part of the then Janata Party and went full steam under Murli Manohar Joshi who was the Human Resources Development Minister in Atal Bihari Vajapeyi's Ministry from 1998 to 2004. Without a committed and pro-active HRD Minister in Modi's Ministries, the efforts are now limping, though very much alive and kicking. Kicking because recently Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a seminar at Banaras Hindu University, spoke about the need to "rewrite history" from an "Indian point of view" and went on to ask, "who is stopping us from amending history". While he was only a Home Minister and was hence talking about 'amending' history, it must be noted at the beginning itself, that for the Brigade, 'Indian' means 'Hindu' and hence what the Minister meant by 'Indian point of view' was actually 'Hindu point of view'. 2. History is based on evidence-written, numismatic, archeological, or otherwise and its interpretation. Interpretations can be changed depending on the theory that one develops based on the available data. For example, the theory of Aryan invasion has been changed to the theory of Aryan migration, but both the theories are based on two different interpretations of the same set of facts. However, if new data is discovered, then also history can be rewritten to integrate the new data in the existing matrix or to develop a new theory. Hence history is constantly rewritten as new data is found warranting rewriting. The Hindutva Brigade and the rewriting of Indian History Page 2 of 28 3. Subir Roy, a senior journalist says "It is not as if history is not rewritten. That is in fact a continuous process. Revisionism is the birthright of every new generation of historians. In fact, you can come closer to the truth only through a process of repeated re-evaluation". 1 4. If the efforts of the Brigade were only aimed at rewriting Indian history, there was no need to take it seriously. However, the Brigade's clamor for rewriting history has not only to be taken seriously but also even countered forcefully as it is a significant part of the Brigade's agenda to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. 5. Here is an instance of what is the objective of the exercise. The Union Minister for Culture in NDA-1, Mahesh Sharma, appointed a 14 member committee with K.N.Dikshit as the Chairman, to rewrite the ancient Indian History with the aim of proving that Hindus were the original inhabitants of India and that the epics are histories and not myths. Reuters reported that the Chairman said that these are the conclusions that the committee wants to reach. So, the committee was not to investigate and find out if the propositions were true but was to reach those conclusions. 6. Nobody can prevent anybody from writing or rewriting history, whether as a new interpretation of the existing data or on finding new data. But the Brigade lacks the talent required for such an exercise. It has not been able to produce any scholarly and significant writing or rewriting of Indian history. In its 17.12.2001 issue, the Outlook said that "The Hindutva brigade is sadly short of historians to claim as its own." Even Dr.R.C.Majumdar, whom the Brigade tries to claim as their man, did not agree with K.M.Munshi's theory that India was the Aryan homeland and even refused to write articles for an RSS weekly since it had published articles claiming that the monuments like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal had been built by Hindu Kings. 7. The names flaunted as writers or re-writers of Indian history from the Hindutva point of view are the likes of P.N. Oak and Dinanath Batra, both of whom qualify more as political propogandists than as historians. The only other name was that of Archeologist B.B. Lal. However, the main grievance of the Brigade is that the 'text-books' prescribed, particularly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for the pre-degree classes prepared by the left and liberal oriented historians, have presented a distorted history of India undermining Hindu culture and giving undue importance to Muslim culture. Batra calls these textbook writers as "The Enemies of Indianization: The Children of Marx, Macaulay and Madarsa". 2 8. Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee, both Professors of History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retort by saying that these Hindutva historians are "the direct descendants of James Mill, who first divided the history of India into Hindu period, Muslim period and British period" 3. However, the Brigade does not feel any remorse while chartering the services of foreigners like David Frawly, awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Modi Government and Koenraad Elst who had said that "Every Muslim is a Sita who must be released from Ravana's prison. We should help Muslims in freeing themselves from Islam …". 4 9. The Brigade's plan to rewrite Indian history is an important segment of its overall plan for creating a Hindu Rashtra. Hence, they say that the History of India should be rewritten from the Hindu or Hindutva point of view. But to construct a new structure they must first demolish the existing structure, as the continued existence of the earlier structure would result in comparison and offer a choice to the people. Perhaps they wish to do it at two levels. First, at the level of textbooks, firstly by getting what they consider as 'offensive' portions removed from the existing textbooks and secondly thereafter writing new textbooks from the Hindutva point of view inserting information which they think helps in their project. Second, at the level of books on History, 2 Title of the Book published in 2001.
The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha ... more The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha Combine along with their fringe organizations known as the Hindutva Brigade, to 're-write' (some say re-right) Indian history are not new. The Brigade has been clamoring for rewriting Indian history ever since the days of the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha, the earliest incarnation of the Brigade when its father figure V.D. Savarkar tried his hand at rewriting Indian history. But then it started gathering steam after 1977 when it shared power at the center as part of the then Janata Party and went full steam under Murli Manohar Joshi who was the Human Resources Development Minister in Atal Bihari Vajapeyi's Ministry from 1998 to 2004. Without a committed and pro-active HRD Minister in Modi's Ministries, the efforts are now limping, though very much alive and kicking. Kicking because recently Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a seminar at Banaras Hindu University, spoke about the need to "rewrite history" from an "Indian point of view" and went on to ask, "who is stopping us from amending history". While he was only a Home Minister and was hence talking about 'amending' history, it must be noted at the beginning itself, that for the Brigade, 'Indian' means 'Hindu' and hence what the Minister meant by 'Indian point of view' was actually 'Hindu point of view'. 2. History is based on evidence-written, numismatic, archeological, or otherwise and its interpretation. Interpretations can be changed depending on the theory that one develops based on the available data. For example, the theory of Aryan invasion has been changed to the theory of Aryan migration, but both the theories are based on two different interpretations of the same set of facts. However, if new data is discovered, then also history can be rewritten to integrate the new data in the existing matrix or to develop a new theory. Hence history is constantly rewritten as new data is found warranting rewriting. The Hindutva Brigade and the rewriting of Indian History Page 2 of 28 3. Subir Roy, a senior journalist says "It is not as if history is not rewritten. That is in fact a continuous process. Revisionism is the birthright of every new generation of historians. In fact, you can come closer to the truth only through a process of repeated re-evaluation". 1 4. If the efforts of the Brigade were only aimed at rewriting Indian history, there was no need to take it seriously. However, the Brigade's clamor for rewriting history has not only to be taken seriously but also even countered forcefully as it is a significant part of the Brigade's agenda to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. 5. Here is an instance of what is the objective of the exercise. The Union Minister for Culture in NDA-1, Mahesh Sharma, appointed a 14 member committee with K.N.Dikshit as the Chairman, to rewrite the ancient Indian History with the aim of proving that Hindus were the original inhabitants of India and that the epics are histories and not myths. Reuters reported that the Chairman said that these are the conclusions that the committee wants to reach. So, the committee was not to investigate and find out if the propositions were true but was to reach those conclusions. 6. Nobody can prevent anybody from writing or rewriting history, whether as a new interpretation of the existing data or on finding new data. But the Brigade lacks the talent required for such an exercise. It has not been able to produce any scholarly and significant writing or rewriting of Indian history. In its 17.12.2001 issue, the Outlook said that "The Hindutva brigade is sadly short of historians to claim as its own." Even Dr.R.C.Majumdar, whom the Brigade tries to claim as their man, did not agree with K.M.Munshi's theory that India was the Aryan homeland and even refused to write articles for an RSS weekly since it had published articles claiming that the monuments like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal had been built by Hindu Kings. 7. The names flaunted as writers or re-writers of Indian history from the Hindutva point of view are the likes of P.N. Oak and Dinanath Batra, both of whom qualify more as political propogandists than as historians. The only other name was that of Archeologist B.B. Lal. However, the main grievance of the Brigade is that the 'text-books' prescribed, particularly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for the pre-degree classes prepared by the left and liberal oriented historians, have presented a distorted history of India undermining Hindu culture and giving undue importance to Muslim culture. Batra calls these textbook writers as "The Enemies of Indianization: The Children of Marx, Macaulay and Madarsa". 2 8. Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee, both Professors of History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retort by saying that these Hindutva historians are "the direct descendants of James Mill, who first divided the history of India into Hindu period, Muslim period and British period" 3. However, the Brigade does not feel any remorse while chartering the services of foreigners like David Frawly, awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Modi Government and Koenraad Elst who had said that "Every Muslim is a Sita who must be released from Ravana's prison. We should help Muslims in freeing themselves from Islam …". 4 9. The Brigade's plan to rewrite Indian history is an important segment of its overall plan for creating a Hindu Rashtra. Hence, they say that the History of India should be rewritten from the Hindu or Hindutva point of view. But to construct a new structure they must first demolish the existing structure, as the continued existence of the earlier structure would result in comparison and offer a choice to the people. Perhaps they wish to do it at two levels. First, at the level of textbooks, firstly by getting what they consider as 'offensive' portions removed from the existing textbooks and secondly thereafter writing new textbooks from the Hindutva point of view inserting information which they think helps in their project. Second, at the level of books on History, 2 Title of the Book published in 2001.
The Hindutva Brigade and the re-writing of Indian History, 2021
The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha ... more The efforts, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha Combine along with their fringe organizations known as the Hindutva Brigade, to 're-write' (some say re-right) Indian history are not new. The Brigade has been clamoring for rewriting Indian history ever since the days of the formation of the Hindu Mahasabha, the earliest incarnation of the Brigade when its father figure V.D. Savarkar tried his hand at rewriting Indian history. But then it started gathering steam after 1977 when it shared power at the center as part of the then Janata Party and went full steam under Murli Manohar Joshi who was the Human Resources Development Minister in Atal Bihari Vajapeyi's Ministry from 1998 to 2004. Without a committed and pro-active HRD Minister in Modi's Ministries, the efforts are now limping, though very much alive and kicking. Kicking because recently Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a seminar at Banaras Hindu University, spoke about the need to "rewrite history" from an "Indian point of view" and went on to ask, "who is stopping us from amending history". While he was only a Home Minister and was hence talking about 'amending' history, it must be noted at the beginning itself, that for the Brigade, 'Indian' means 'Hindu' and hence what the Minister meant by 'Indian point of view' was actually 'Hindu point of view'. 2. History is based on evidence-written, numismatic, archeological, or otherwise and its interpretation. Interpretations can be changed depending on the theory that one develops based on the available data. For example, the theory of Aryan invasion has been changed to the theory of Aryan migration, but both the theories are based on two different interpretations of the same set of facts. However, if new data is discovered, then also history can be rewritten to integrate the new data in the existing matrix or to develop a new theory. Hence history is constantly rewritten as new data is found warranting rewriting. The Hindutva Brigade and the rewriting of Indian History Page 2 of 28 3. Subir Roy, a senior journalist says "It is not as if history is not rewritten. That is in fact a continuous process. Revisionism is the birthright of every new generation of historians. In fact, you can come closer to the truth only through a process of repeated re-evaluation". 1 4. If the efforts of the Brigade were only aimed at rewriting Indian history, there was no need to take it seriously. However, the Brigade's clamor for rewriting history has not only to be taken seriously but also even countered forcefully as it is a significant part of the Brigade's agenda to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. 5. Here is an instance of what is the objective of the exercise. The Union Minister for Culture in NDA-1, Mahesh Sharma, appointed a 14 member committee with K.N.Dikshit as the Chairman, to rewrite the ancient Indian History with the aim of proving that Hindus were the original inhabitants of India and that the epics are histories and not myths. Reuters reported that the Chairman said that these are the conclusions that the committee wants to reach. So, the committee was not to investigate and find out if the propositions were true but was to reach those conclusions. 6. Nobody can prevent anybody from writing or rewriting history, whether as a new interpretation of the existing data or on finding new data. But the Brigade lacks the talent required for such an exercise. It has not been able to produce any scholarly and significant writing or rewriting of Indian history. In its 17.12.2001 issue, the Outlook said that "The Hindutva brigade is sadly short of historians to claim as its own." Even Dr.R.C.Majumdar, whom the Brigade tries to claim as their man, did not agree with K.M.Munshi's theory that India was the Aryan homeland and even refused to write articles for an RSS weekly since it had published articles claiming that the monuments like the Red Fort and the Taj Mahal had been built by Hindu Kings. 7. The names flaunted as writers or re-writers of Indian history from the Hindutva point of view are the likes of P.N. Oak and Dinanath Batra, both of whom qualify more as political propogandists than as historians. The only other name was that of Archeologist B.B. Lal. However, the main grievance of the Brigade is that the 'text-books' prescribed, particularly by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for the pre-degree classes prepared by the left and liberal oriented historians, have presented a distorted history of India undermining Hindu culture and giving undue importance to Muslim culture. Batra calls these textbook writers as "The Enemies of Indianization: The Children of Marx, Macaulay and Madarsa". 2 8. Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee, both Professors of History, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, retort by saying that these Hindutva historians are "the direct descendants of James Mill, who first divided the history of India into Hindu period, Muslim period and British period" 3. However, the Brigade does not feel any remorse while chartering the services of foreigners like David Frawly, awarded Padma Bhushan in 2015 by the Modi Government and Koenraad Elst who had said that "Every Muslim is a Sita who must be released from Ravana's prison. We should help Muslims in freeing themselves from Islam …". 4 9. The Brigade's plan to rewrite Indian history is an important segment of its overall plan for creating a Hindu Rashtra. Hence, they say that the History of India should be rewritten from the Hindu or Hindutva point of view. But to construct a new structure they must first demolish the existing structure, as the continued existence of the earlier structure would result in comparison and offer a choice to the people. Perhaps they wish to do it at two levels. First, at the level of textbooks, firstly by getting what they consider as 'offensive' portions removed from the existing textbooks and secondly thereafter writing new textbooks from the Hindutva point of view inserting information which they think helps in their project. Second, at the level of books on History, 2 Title of the Book published in 2001.
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mob: 9739374932.