The second folly is its perception of the medieval ages in Indian history as the era of ‘invasion’ and ‘cultural destruction’. It is true that contact with Islam marks these centuries in Indian history. However, it is also true that exchanges and trade with the countries to the west of India, from Afghanistan to Turkey has been a phenomenon ever since humans have inhabited Asia. Besides, what is seen as ‘destructive invasion’ was in reality a new synthesis in arts, literature, ideas, architecture, law, medicine and theology. All of that is deliberately demonized, for Islam provides the most convenient ‘enemy’ metaphor for Hindu nationalism.
The third misconception that has gained ground is the nature of the freedom struggle and its major protagonists. BJP’s propaganda machine has been active in deliberately portraying discord among leaders like Gandhi, Patel, Subhas Bose, Tagore, Nehru, Ambedkar and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. A lot of false information about them is spread in order to make them look small, selfish, pretentious and unmindful of what is good for India. The flow of misinformation about them has a scale that is difficult to counter.
However, in future, when India recovers from this assault on its history and culture, these flawed arguments are bound to look deliberate and short-sighted. India with a single origin, with a single linguistic and cultural mould and a country of only one kind of people, adhering to only one religion would be far from what it has been over several millennia.
Linguistic, cultural and social diversity is its definitive identity marker and as a nation, it can continue to be India only so long as we perceive it as a ‘union of states’.
(The writer is an eminent academic and cultural activist)
(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)