Expressing concern about ‘systematic efforts’ to distort history in the present scenario, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said every effort to harm secularism and democracy should be prevented.
Expressing concern about ‘systematic efforts’ to distort history in the present scenario, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said every effort to harm secularism and democracy should be prevented. Mr Pawar also offered help to historians who have expressed their worries about saffronisation of history and said a wing would be set up at the YB Chavan Centre to oppose any distortion of history.
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad had convened a conference of historians who shared their views about saffronisation of history. About 40 of them attended the conference headed by Sharad Pawar, voicing their views on how to deal with the problem.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Pawar said, “Systematic efforts of distortion of Indian history are made. There is a need to take a definite stand and create liberal atmosphere in Indian society Our real concern is distortion of history through
textbooks and we want the intellectuals to come forward and raise their voice. We are ready to provide an institutional set up for them at the YB Chavan Centre.”
Slamming the idea of formation of a Hindu Rashtra, Mr Pawar said secularism and democracy are the ethos of the country. He also lashed out a section of the society that is allegedly using history to target people of a particular caste, religion and language. “Those who are trying to sow hatred through history should be prevented, else the new generation’s mind will be polluted,” he added.
Sharing his views, Dr K.M. David, HoD of History in Mumbai University highlighted how democracy had evolved and how it came to be adopted by India. He also spoke at length on how former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi instilled idea of liberty, equality and fraternity and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar wrote it in the form of
the Constitution. Meanwhile, Dr Isharat Alam, secretary of Indian National Congress, spoke about attempts to distort history. “History is different from mythology; mythology has become history nowadays,” he said.
K. Shrimali, HoD of History in Delhi University, criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre for its failure to develop scientific temper and humanism, which are its fundamental duties.
