Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said that historians should be committed to truth and called for an ‘objective re-evaluation of Indian history through fact-based research, said a press release by Vice President’s Secretariat.
Stressing the need for greater academic rigour in historical research, he cautioned against “selective or incomplete accounts of Indian history,” said a press release. He said that retelling historical facts through an ideological viewpoint will provide a distorted view, as was done under colonial rule. Instead, he urged historians to strengthen ‘scientific writing of history with the help of specialized bodies like the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
The Vice President was participating in the valedictory function of the Golden Jubilee year of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), organized by the Ministry of Culture. He also inaugurated an exhibition on ‘Freedom Struggle of India’ by ICHR on the occasion.
Naidu also called for greater research on unsung Indian heroes of the freedom struggle, many of whom were ‘limited to mere footnotes in history books’. As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, he said, their individual stories must be documented to reveal their ‘pain, struggle, and the great pride with which they fought for the motherland. ‘Untold history must be told’, he said.
Even on popular heroes, Shri Naidu suggested that historical research must delve deeper into different aspects of their personalities in a more comprehensive manner. He stressed the need for studying tribal and peasant revolts in various parts of the country in greater detail to understand the ‘unflinching courage of the ordinary masses who fought the British without any organizational backing’.
Naidu observed that there are many people who fought in different parts of the country against the British, and that all of them are ‘national heroes’.
‘It is our duty–our highest patriotic mission to remember the supreme sacrifices made by our freedom fighters and their noble struggle to wrest independence from colonial rulers’, Shri Naidu observed.
Naidu called upon state governments to organize regular visits to important historical places for children. He suggested that school textbooks must cover stories of freedom fighters’ lives in an interesting and engaging way. ‘It is my conviction that the lives of our historical figures must be a source of inspiration for the next generations’, he said.
The Vice President complimented ICHR for completing 50 years of historical research and for “persevering to fill important gaps in Indian history”. He appealed to people, particularly youngsters, to visit the exhibitions being put up by ICHR in various parts of the country to better understand the great struggle to attain Swaraj for India.
He also called upon Parliamentarians to visit the exhibition and know the contributions of freedom fighters and appreciate the efforts of ICHR.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education & Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Raghuvendra Tanwar, Chairman, ICHR, Arvind P. Jamkhedkar former Chairman, ICHR, Kumar Ratnam, Member Secretary, ICHR and other dignitaries were present during the event.