English philosopher, C E M
Joad, defined civilisation as thinking new thoughts, making new things, and
obeying the rules for the smooth functioning of the society. Yet we don’t find such people in our history
books. Our history books are filled with
people who killed others, conquered their lands, and imposed themselves on
other people.
How many Indians have
heard of Satyendranath Bose though there is a subatomic particle (Boson) named
after him? How many Indians are ready to
recognise the name Ali Akbar Khan though he is known to the world as the Indian
Johann Sebastian Bach? Why does the
genius of a Shakespeare get eclipsed by a Queen Elizabeth in history books
though Shakespeare’s contribution to civilisation far outweighs that of the
Queen?
These are some of the many
thoughts that crossed my mind as I read the very long article by A. G. Noorani,
‘India’s
Sawdust Caesar,’ in the latest issue of Frontline. “A year and a half after he became Prime
Minister of India on May 26, 2014, the people of India have begun to discover
that Narendra Damodardas Modi is a flawed character who has proved himself
unfit to sit on the chair on which Jawaharlal Nehru once sat.” That’s how the article begins.
Nehru made significant
contributions to civilisation. Even if
we ignore his contributions as a statesman, his writings will be enough to
ensure a prominent place for Nehru in the history of India if history stops
giving undue importance to killers and conquerors. How will history remember Mr Modi?
Noorani quotes a cable
sent by Michael S. Owen, the U.S. Consul General in Mumbai, in 2006 to his
bosses in America: “In public appearances, Modi can be charming and likeable.
By all accounts, however, he is an insular, distrustful person who rules with a
small group of advisers. This inner circle acts as a buffer between the Chief
Minister and his Cabinet and party. He reigns more by fear and intimidation
than by inclusiveness and consensus, and is rude, condescending and often
derogatory to even high-level party officials. He hoards power and often leaves
his Ministers in the cold when making decisions that affect their portfolios.”
 |
| Source: Frontline |
How will history books
celebrate Modi? It will depend on who writes
the history, of course.
Noorani cites instances
that prove the little-mindedness of the Prime Minister. For example, gifting a copy of the Gita to
the Japanese Emperor, Modi said, “I do not know what will happen in India after
this. There may be a TV debate on this. Our secular friends will create toofan
[storm] that [sic] what does Modi think of himself. He has taken a
Gita with him. That means he has made this one also communal.” Modi was ridiculing his own country in another
country.
Another example: On
September 23 in Dublin, Modi praised Indo-Irish students for reciting Sanskrit
mantras, but in a manner that he can never shed: “It is a matter of happiness
that they can do it in Ireland, but had this been done in India, it would have
raised questions on secularism.”
Which Prime Minister of a
country, especially if he claims to be in love with the country and its culture
as Modi does, will belittle his own country in a foreign country like this?
Yet how will this man go
down in history books? How much of his
personality and its dark truths be buried, how much of the other side
exaggerated?
Why is history like this?
These are just some of the
thoughts that crossed my mind. I suppose
there are no answers except that that is how history is. If you want Bose and his boson, you should
study science. If you want Ustad Ali
Akbar Khan, you should have music in your veins. And if you want Shakespeare, be literate
enough.
But if history is what
interests you, you will get marauders and conquerors. History cannot be civilised, it seems.
PS. Mr Modi is taken as an example here merely
because it is an article about him that triggered these thoughts in me. There are many, too many, leaders in the
world today who can trigger the very same thoughts. That’s precisely the question: why are leaders
like this?
Something on my mind as well, had written a post this week on how history books present history with an example of Mughal history! The realm of the textbook is place of drama and war with every changing government, how modi gets written depends on as you say, who writes that portion.
ReplyDeleteSuppose we change our approach to history and present scientists, philosophers, and so on to students in such a way that they learn to question, investigate and discover. Instead of mugging up boring facts about who killed whom!
DeleteWell written and thought provoking..
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Interesting article. History has been a complex subject that gives rise to debates because what one writes comes from his/her own 'situatedness' as well as 'affiliations. I think Gadamer had talked about 'understanding' it 'differently', and bringing one's own understanding to the historical text. I think history itself is a series of 'texts' that have been subjectively (masked objective) written.
ReplyDeleteHistory can never be objective, in short :)
DeleteThe article I have cited above illustrates it eloquently. America had refused to grant visiting visa to Mr Modi in the aftermath of the 2002 riots. However, later it revoked the decision because the same Consul General mentioned in the article suggested it. And the reason? Modi's meteoric popularity! The Consul General was sure Mr Modi would rise to national politics and in all probability become the PM. Then, if America changed the decision after that, it would be accused of opportunism. Hence he advised the diplomatic action of revoking the decision earlier. A few years from now, most people will forget these details and historians will make a new history: that even America realised its error with respect to Modi and the riots. That's how history works. It is manufactured. Heroes do not make history, history makes heroes, as a historian said.
Incidentally I knew all three, interestingly enough, I was always intrigued by history, but that did not yield any info. History as it goes is penned on corpses and other things that are not "civilized" why? because history was always written by the victors, who won a war and massacred. It is a great flaw in us to understate the good and magnify shady incidents as history
ReplyDeleteHistory inevitably belongs to the victor. See how the Indian history is being rewritten or attempted to be by the present BJP regime. A lot of RSS people have been appointed to relevant positions so that the process will be subtle but effective.
DeleteLeaders in the current world are hardly those who have been given that place by society,leaders are generally those narrow-minded people who are in that place today because 20,000 different methods were calculated before inculcating them in the "necessary" propaganda to earn the required profit.All of fundamentalism,hypocrisy,communal-ism are just the components of the entire process.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, Titas. 20,000 calculated strategies!
DeleteWell written article. Enjoyed reading it. Very thought provoking.
ReplyDelete