Opinion
Killing ‘history’
Recent events reflect attempts to reshape the very fundamentals of Indian democracyAs India is the world’s largest democracy with almost 70 years of independent existence, it makes sense to look back at the people who significantly impacted its journey. It becomes especially imperative when the ruling regime in India is being single-mindedly steadfast in reading history wrong and tampering with the basic contours of the ‘Idea of India’ to score politically in its favour.
The unprecedented aggression and directionlessness of the Modi-led government is glaring, and its obsession with the ‘cow and Congress’ is symptomatic of a bigger agenda to reshape the very fundamentals of Indian democracy. Noticeably, India’s unity rests on its diversity on a clearly defined constitutional line, and the series of unruly events suggest that India is on the verge of losing that old inclusive arrangement. There is even a possibility that the secular core of India, which has been the protector of its diversity and harmonious worldview, will be shaken.
50 acclaimed Indians
Years ago, eminent historian Sunil Khilnani had written an influential and acclaimed book entitled The Idea of India which redefined historiography in India. Khilnani popularised the fervour of ‘social history’ and inspired a generation to get involved in it. Of course, his predecessors and contemporaries helped him provide a base on which he could build his ideas to provide a just historical narrative of the country and people. His latest work Incarnations: India in 50 Lives, which is based on the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 Series, is a deeply researched book. It unravels the different myths, histories, moral epics and stories of and about India by exploring the lives of 50 acclaimed Indians who have influenced the course of history and significantly contributed to the making of the country—something that spans centuries.
As in the present context when the ideas and myths surrounding the country’s making are under a fog, this book appears like a path breaking work as it traces the lives of eminent Indians from Lord Buddha, the spiritual leader, to Dhirubhai Ambani, a Gujarati without a high background who founded one of the world’s largest corporate enterprises. The human dimension, which is seldom given any preference in a macro narrative, has been a shortcoming that distorts the efforts of a logical inquiry into the past.
Khilnani has broken the chain through his writings, and most strongly with this book, and tried to showcase the contributions of humans in helping India to stand up and be counted as the world’s formidable democratic space. A Nehruvian in his worldview, Khilnani’s latest biographical book has a lot to tell about the Indian subcontinent through a really diverse and inclusive cast of characters.
Vicious politicisation
Today, it has become crucial to revisit the basics as India is being misunderstood due to an authoritarian pastime to kill ‘history’ and liberal intellectual space. Prior to that, it is essential to know that the ‘basics’ were an outcome of the foundational work done by first-generation leaders after India’s attainment of independence. If people can read history well, Nehru’s role in infusing scientific temperament in newly independent India will not be forgotten, irrespective of how vigorously the ruling Modi government offers an alternative version.
What India is going to lose with the present mode of ruling is its secular and inclusive fabric. Without them, it would turn into just another powerful monger devoid of sobriety of thought in its external and domestic policies. In the South Asian geostrategic set-up, India has for long stayed on course to not turn into a regional bully and fanatical state. Apparently, there is a shift now, and this should seriously trouble all thinking minds in India and in the neighbourhood.
By keeping facts at bay, a ruler cannot be charming enough to keep the masses holding their breath for long. Those who take on the mantle should be wary about not spoiling the consensus-based approach to mainstream the hard-liners. The Modi-led government has been viciously politicising the universities and other academic institutions where third-grade RSS men are now being directly appointed to deal with the most crucial matters.
Intellectual protest
With the present in disarray, it would be naïve to look towards the future for hope. The unprecedented level of bigotry, hate, ignorance and authoritarianism is discrediting the Modi-led government. And it is unlikely that the present chaos will help India’s ambition in any way to maintain its stake in the global order and climb higher up the ladder. Since May 2014, India has been on a roller-coaster, and in no case has there been peace after the war. Every time there is a big move by the One-Man Government in Delhi, there comes the possibility of a big mess-up. From Nepal to India’s northeast to Kashmir, the mishandling of affairs was followed by big theatrical shows. This is seen in other areas too, the most potent among them being appointments to high offices.
At the Reserve Bank of India, Raghuram Rajan displayed the best of sense in macroeconomic policymaking by targeting inflation and eyeing growth without taking heed of corrupt lobbyists’ wish lists. The cases are just too many, the most recent one being that of Pratap Bhanu Mehta who resigned from the selection board of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in protest against the forced recruitment of an undeserving candidate. Amid the gloom, the good thing is intellectual protest which is still not on the wane. There is hope.
While reading Sunil Khilnani’s book, one gets an understanding of India’s complex history and people who it is difficult to categorise into narrow ideological cells even though it is quite fashionable now. As political matters happen to be contagious in South Asia, this tendency certainly spreads to the neighbours as well. While coping with the present order, what India needs to do urgently is save its history from getting messed up.
Thakur is a New Delhi-based journalist and writer. He can be reached at [email protected]