Alok Bajpai
Akhil Bhartiya Itihas Sankalan Yojna is a subsidiary organization
under the aegis of Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh. Recently in its programme,
Subramanian Swamy (a new entrant in BJP) has given a call to set history books
written by “Nehruvian” historians like Bipan Chandra and Romila Thapar on fire.
Why did he assert so or what prompted him to speak like this? This piece is an
attempt to investigate this desire.
First things first. Mr. Swamy is not an ignorant or illiterate
person. He has a Ph.D. degree from Harvard and not innocent of intellectual-
academic knowledge. He does not talk out of ignorance. Hence, it becomes
necessary to know the reasons and compulsions of this statement by Dr Swamy.
Dr. Swamy is a thoroughly political person who holds high
political ambitions. His life trajectory confirms that he has a deep desire to
politically ascend higher and higher positions. Once he was close to Indian
National Congress and also he has gained politically by aligning with non-Congress
non-BJP parties and alignments. At present he has merged his own Janata Party
with Bhartiya Janata Party. As Congress was signaling to be a “sinking ship”,
Mr. Swamy started giving statements which, on the one hand were utterly
anti-Congress but very dear to BJP’s ideological positions. He is a master of
ambiguous political rhetoric and very adapt in combining mutually contradictory
political moorings. So it was not difficult for a person like Swamy to come
forward with a new political- cultural jest of an enthusiastic soldier of
Hindutva brigade. He is a right person to be adopted by BJP because he has
proved his bonafides of excessive anti-Congressism and having a high class
Ph.D. degree his claim of being an intellectual is not always hollow.
Mr. Swamy suffers from some political limitations. He has too high
political ambition and much craving for active interventions in national
politics.But, sadly, he has no political base of his own. Confirmed
well-educated as he is, to work at grassroots level by going to villages,
towns, cities and connecting with general masses might be troublesome (or
unworthy practice) for a man of a stature like him. So he is left with no
option other than maintaining proximity to the top leadership of the political
party with whom he would be attached. This is the only way by which he can
fulfill his political ambitions and a superimposing ego. The fact is that Mr.
Swamy is a standard representative of such opportunistic class intellectuals
who all of a sudden change their political affiliations and commitments
according to the prevailing political situation of the country. The type of
politics Mr. Swamy pursues is thoroughly dependent upon media coverage. He has
to present himself in such a way that he remains a darling of media. By showing
his face on national media and presenting them masala bites is politically beneficial for him because it enhances his
political bargain value. Moreover, the central political power is in the hands
of those who are lovers and jehadis of Hindutva ideology. RSS has been the most prominent proud
citadel of this Hindutva ideology. So, obviously in its function, Mr. Swamy
proved his talent of being the best supporter of the group he is attached with
right now. His statement of burning history books has to be understood in this
framework of his political compulsions.
RSS, its ideologues and even the present central government knows
it well that the basic hindrance against their Hindutva ideology is history.
They have become a very powerful combined political force in India but their
history is not great. Their past does not entitle them to gain legitimacy on
Indian soil and claim the Indian soul. The Sangh Parivaris not ready to accept
their past blunders. They are not willing to accept the fact that RSS as an
organization did not take part in India’s glorious freedom struggle. Their
ideological role in the murder of the greatest Hindu of all times is a historic
fact. They did not consider British rule as their principal opponent. Rather
they channelized all their energies towards spreading anti-Muslim feelings
among Hindus. They work incessantly to propagate violence of all kinds against
Muslims. They nourish stubborn orthodoxy like any other extremist religious
group. They are baffled by the history writing in India because history tells a
story which they want to hide from public. They want to interpret history
without going into historical facts and real experiences of Indian people.
Indian historiography not only Marxist historiography but all genuine
historical writings have proved without doubt that communal interpretations of
history are not only unscientific but also are false. Now ruling at the centre
these quarrels with the past are an untenable situation for them. Their hatred
based ideology cannot permit Indian history to be secular. That is why it is
their political compulsion to destroy all authentic history of Indian people.
So when person like Mr. Swamy give venomous speeches and calls against India’s
secular history writings, he automatically gets a golden chance to become a
fine soldier of that Hindutva brigade. In a way Mr. Swamy is desperate to
consolidate his political future and be a reliable pawn in the hands of Hindu
communalism in its long cherished quest to destroy history.
One wonders who can talk of setting books on fire. Not one who
disagrees but one who is afraid of them. Professors Bipan Chandra and Romila
Thapar have been such historians whom the academic world respects and
acknowledges their contributions yet their writings and insights are not always
uncontested. Scholars engage with them affirmatively or argue with their
postulates. However, if one gives a call to set afire their works, it simply
means that the destructive arsonists are clueless about how to fight against
India’s secular tradition and history. Are they afraid lest Indian people read
the secular past? And in the end, we were taught in schools and home that we
should not touch books by feet, if a book false on floor we must kiss it
reverently because books have wisdom. The question remains that how to judge
those who wish to set books i.e. wisdom?
(The author is a historian and political commentator.)
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें