History of India may have been written with a colonial mindset, but the quest for truth only comes with learned and scientific discussion, not dictates
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Today as we complete nine years in service to the nation, I am filled with humility and gratitude”. He has transformed India, some of it in a very positive direction; he himself is hardworking and responsible for change to an aspirational India, with some good schemes and raising our stature in foreign relations. He is a good orator and apparently worldwide has many admirers. With today’s generation he is a master showman and, with Amit Shah, has organized a powerful election machinery. He began schemes like Swatch Bharat, toilets for everybody, improved digitization, roads and communication infrastructure, and pushed for International Yoga Day.
A LOOK AT REALITY
However, with victims like Bilkis Bano of the Gujarat riots getting no justice to this day, the terrible trauma and fallout of demonetization, the badly handled Covid-19 pandemic cannot be a buried chapter. Neither can the polarization of the country, the lynching’s and enforcement of Hindutva ideology by non-state actors, hate speeches, the dictatorial attitude of a government.
For all the terribly wrong decisions and government failures, where people have been traumatized, suffer deaths and their families lives shattered, there is no accountability and consequences for the authorities who get away with impunity by sometimes compensating the victims/families from the exchequer. Perhaps like the UK, a public enquiry into government handling of catastrophic consequences due its decisions needs to be instituted.
The inauguration of the new Parliament Building was “immortalized” in history with Sengor (Tamil word for ceremonial scepter), religious ceremonies with about 25 parties attending, 20 opposition parties boycotting, award winning wrestlers attempting dharna outside; the PM hogging the limelight. The Sengor was handed over to Jawaharlal Nehru by Tamil priests invited by C Rajagopalachari to conduct a ritual for transfer of power from the British. It was a feudal tradition of the Chola Empire. This is precisely why Nehru thought it was not appropriate for our Independence Day ceremony. An elaborate religious ceremony involving 20 Adheenam swamis, each blessing Modi after handing over the Sengor, was executed and thereafter it was installed in the Parliament.
NEW NARRATIVES
The government narratives are now bringing other values. The day chosen to inaugurate the new Parliament was on Veer Sarvarkar’s 140th birth anniversary. Two movies are reportedly being made with the narrative of how he was an inspiration to Subhas Chandra Bose among others, whose philosophy was absolutely opposite to that of Savarkar. New narratives made about New India are roundly broadcast by the media, perhaps an election ploy to win Tamil votes. Parliament is the temple of democracy with the Constitution as the holy book. It is not a temple for only the ideology of a party or a place to worship either God or man?
The PM arrived at the Lok Sabha with the chants of “Modi, Modi”, the President’s speech was read out expressing deep satisfaction at the inauguration by Modi, who she said symbolizes Parliament’s trust. With such comments when 20 Opposition parties are absent, many see the President as a rubber stamp installed by Modi as an election master stroke. Only time will tell if this perception is wrong. History cannot be colored by ideology and altering history text in educational institutions, removing unpalatable chapters and adding colored versions under the guise of indianizing views. History of India may have been written with a colonial mindset, but the quest for truth only comes with learned and scientific discussion, not dictates.
K’TAKA ELECTION
Let us recall some facts about the recent Karnataka elections and double engine Goa government. Amit Shah like the other BJP stalwarts loudly canvased a confident decisive win for the BJP saying that their Mhadei river problem was solved with acquiescence of Goa. Our CM and cabinet ministers canvased in Karnataka, declared a paid holiday in Goa for eligible people to go and vote whilst sending umpteen Kadamba buses for their elections to the inconvenience of our commuters here. Roundly trounced by the Congress, Goa saw the prompt central government creation of Mahadayi Prawah (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) with its headquarters in Goa. The media drown out the above facts and toe only the government line vociferously. Now BJP’s confidence has shifted to Goa.
The recent incident over a statue in Calangute is a wrong narrative for law and order and communal harmony to exist in Goa.
