‘Changing history is like poisoning one’s mind’

LUCKNOW: Irfan Habib, professor emeritus in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and founder of Centre of Advance Studies, is arguably one of the most eminent scholars in ancient and medieval history. Habib, who was here on Saturday in a programme organised by Lucknow Management Association (LMA), discussed the future challenges at length. Speaking to Hindustan Times, he slammed the BJP and RSS for attempting to rewrite history. The BJP and RSS are trying to make changes in the existing history. How far is the move justified? It is like poisoning one’s’ mind. I strongly oppose it. The BJP is doing exactly what it did in its previous regime. Governments cannot determine science and knowledge. Historical facts and research papers determine knowledge. They are not changing but fictionalising the entire history. They should let it remain as it is. What kind of an attempt was made to change history? In their previous regime they made some astonishing claims like Aryans went out of India, Indus valley civilisation was in Vedic period and Aryans developed it. It was all mismatched. The changes they are trying to make are not ‘selective’ but just fictional. So should ‘selective’ changes in history be permitted? I think yes, but through a historian, not by a set of politicians. In the 1970s, history was rewritten during the regime of the Congress. A historian MC Majumdar was chosen for the task. However, after he made controversial statements about Mahatma Gandhi, he was questioned and the work was given to others. But if you ask me which history is better I prefer the one with selective changes, not the one that is full of fiction. What do you mean by fiction? The present prime minister claimed that our ancestors were experts in plastic surgery, they did successful plastic surgery by planting an elephant’s head on Lord Ganesha. It is pure fictionalisation to build a false claim for the nation. Union home minister Rajnath Singh recently criticised the existing education system and termed it ‘a conspiracy of Lord Macaulay’. What is your opinion about his statement? The problem is not the system but the people. India is not the only one that is following the system. China and Japan are also doing the same and see where they stand. I do not think there is a need to make any changes in the system. What can be done to check changes, which according to you are deadly? It is totally up to the people, as they have the power to vote. I think people will realise it

themselves.