One Step Backwards: 100 Miles Backwards

(This article Written by Mrigank was published in New Democracy)

Inauguration of Modi’s chum’s Reliance hospital in Mumbai was done by none other than Prime Minister himself. While delivering his speech he took out a leaf from the book of Dinanath Batra and started preaching. According to him this book contained references to history of ancient India, and it tells about the great advancements of medical sciences that was reached by those people. Let us quote him “Hum Ganeshji ki pooja karte hain. Koi to plastic surgeon hoga us zamaane mein jisne manushya ke shareer par haathi ka sar rakh karke plastic surgery ka prarambh kiya hoga.”  & “Medical  science ki duniya mein hum garv kar sakte hain ki hamara desh kisi samay mein kya tha. Mahabharat mein Karna ki katha, hum sab Karna ke vishay mein Mahabharat mein padhte hain. Lekin kabhi hum thoda sa aur sochna shuru karen to dhyaan mein aayega ki Mahabharat ka kehna hai ki Karna maa ki god se paida nahi hua tha. Iska matlab ye hua ki us samay genetic science maujood tha.Tabhi to Karna, maa ki god ke bina, uska janma hua hoga.”

These utterances were not in isolation but in continuation of the attempts of this government to change the definitions and perspective of history, science, symbols and reasoning. This was a glimpse of the efforts being made by this government to fulfill the long term agenda of RSS i.e. to establish that ‘Hindu’ or Aryans were most superior and this has to be restored. And this is done not by raising the level of competence but by one intimidating others and terrorizing them to either succumb or flea and secondly by corrupting and changing the mindset. It is the second aspect which is main subject we shall deal here.

There is an all-round attack to making myths history and history myth, making science looking obscure and obscurantism as science, changing either the symbols or ascribing new values to them. This is a very dangerous practice. Dangerous because it is going to corrupt the minds of young ones, dangerous because it will curb the reasoning and scientific temper (which is already not prevalent), dangerous because it will change the meaning and content and thus interpretation of history, dangerous because it will establish treacherous people as national heroes and will throw real heroes to dustbin.

The rise of one Mr. Dinanath Batra to the level of a person advising contents of education, rise of Mr. YS Rao as the chief of Indian Council of Historical Research is not accidental. Later claimed not to be a member of RSS, but these claims do not hide the obvious. Batra a former headmaster of a school at Dera Bassi (border town in Punjab) and then Haryana, has a long track record of pushing his views into system. He has been main functionary of RSS education wing Vidya Bharati. When one sees his views, they are not only shocking but outright derogatory to other civilizations, and many of them are so imprudent that one fails to find words to react. His texts are already being taught in Gujarat and they bears a foreword from Then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi. His book makes references to ancient Hindu texts and cites the incidents, events etc. as true and then goes on interpreting the fantasy as proven fact.

There are many examples. Let us have a look at a few of them. He cites that royal couple were blesses with children after they worshiped cows, therefore taking care and respecting cows can  be cure for infertility. As there is reference to Lord Ram flying an aircraft called Pushpak Vimana in Ramayana, it is enough proof that ancient Indians were well versed in aeronautics. There is references to two kinds of raths (chariots) - ashva raths and anashva raths. Former was pulled by horses and later had to be a motor car. How else can it move without horses! He does not bother to ponder about the fuel that might be needed to propel such ‘machines’. Fossil fuel was not available at that time and only inflammable thing that was commonly used was ghee. He does not even tell as to why there is no description of details of their designs in any of the texts. Why, we failed to find any remains of those anywhere.  Harishankar Parsai, a noted Hindi satirist once commented that good that they have made airplane, but why not bicycle? Mr. Batra forgets the fact that man has been fantasizing and it continued till it actually made flying devices. And this was not done just in India or Hindus. But all over the world. Leonardo da Vinci as late as …….. attempted to give real colors to this fantasy by making a flying machine and failed miserably. But it was a scientific effort. There is no such report of such attempts earlier. 

Citing again from Mahabharata he tells that there must have been a well-developed stem cell research. There are references of births outside mother’s womb.  Like birth of Kauravas and that of Karna. Lord Shiva implanted head of an elephant onto Ganesh. This is enough prove that plastic surgery existed at that time. And many more. There are gods in Greek mythology having body of horse and man, so should not we infer that such advancements were existent even there? Interestingly, they had plastic surgery but not hip bone repair/replacement surgery otherwise poor Duryodhana would not had to die. They had television as ‘evidenced’ by Sanjay incidence but probably was exclusive, otherwise Guru Dronacharya could see the reality of which Ashwathama died. Pushpak existed but still a bridge was required to go to Lanka. Why not air attacks. In fact these planes must have been more advanced than any of them we see today as they did not even needed a run way, had no propellers or jet propulsion mechanism.

This is one aspect. Second is he denounces anything foreign. He even goes on ridiculing Africans referring with ‘n’ word (use of ‘negro’ is banned as it is associated with slavery and subjugation) and telling they speak like sound of buffalo. He refers to it many times and derogates them.  He tells us that god was making chapattis, first one could not be cooked properly and Britons originated from there. Second one was burnt and Africans originated from there. Third one was properly cooked and Indians came from it.

He like others of his clan also wants to restore Akhand Bharat encompassing Myanmar, Tibet, and Afghanistan. Only they know at which time in history there was such a huge land under one rule called Bharata.

He had been a sort of crusader for his cause. He was instrumental in making Penguin to pulp its publication “The Hindus:  An Alternative History” by Wendy Doniger, getting Ramanunjan’s book on comprehensive account on different Ramayana prevalent from Delhi University. He had been filing law suits against NCERT, giving legal notices like he gave to The Frontline Editor N Ram for using term ‘Hindutva Terrorism’, albeit not very successful. It is Gujarat where he started facing success and then banning or pulping the books. And now he is far too embolden.

Other gentleman in discussion is YS Rao. He has been appointed as chairman ICHR. He has very amusing views on history and methods of historical research. Needless to say that they are not at all scientific or rational. He is a firm believer of Caste system and thinks it has played a great role in olden days and has nothing to do with exploitation. He attribute bad things due to Muslim rule in north India. He also believe Ramayana and Mahabharata to be work of history and started a project to establish its date. His logic for this is as amusing as his other logics are. He says that man has not started writing fiction by then. So it cannot be fictional. He challenges method of basing on material evidences and rationale as western influence. Collective memory of people is more important in case of continuing civilization like ours is one of his method to establish historical truth. No prizes for guessing his views on Babri Masjid and Ram Janmbhumi. He wishes to correct the wrongs of 60 years during his tenure as ICHR Chief.

List is very long. Let us make a few points. These are obviously to corrupt the minds of people particularly of young ones. Such attempts were also made during previous NDA government. MM Joshi pushed JS Rajput to NCERT and even started a department of Mantrik Healing. But that government was not this bold and could only debate and made some subtle changes. It is also not that Congress or other government has very progressive perspective. History had been communal and education unscientific. But that was not justified. This government embolden by majority seats is not only justifying this also glorifying these absurdities.

They are attacking the development of ability to think critically. Rather one must assume something to be true as it has been believed to be so for years. Can we expect to produce any good scientists, economists, historians or other academicians with such training? In fact they do not want to. They just want people be obedient servants of the system. Now medical science will be directed towards achieving the ‘heights’ of ancient India. Disregarding current research, a rational approach, one will be submersed in vayu, kaff and pitta. The empirical observations and remedies will take precedence over scientific methods. Interestingly, when the yoga guru Ramdev ran disguised in feminine attire after hunger strike, he went to ICU of allopathic hospital. It clearly shows that what they preach is not what they believe. By doing this, people will remain intoxicated with glory of past, while our entire research and development will be become further and totally dependent on outside world.

Likewise, there is a tendency of saying everything was there already in Vedas. Or giving (none) scientific justifications to various customs and traditions. This on hand establish the superiority of scientific methods as that is what is used (though erroneously) to justify (science never uses religious texts or customs to justify its claims). This again is going to jeopardize the development as all we need to do is read these texts properly and there is nothing beyond it. These facts will point to fact that all we need do is read and teach Ayurveda and Vedas. Everything is there. One should stop schools of medicine, science and technology and thus save lots of money and time in rediscovering!

All this does not mean that there was no achievements in past. But definitely not that far away in history. Indians have good work in mathematics and astronomy. Now they are even mixing all this. True, Aryabhata had made many observations, but he was not of Vedic era. In fact he contradicts many ancient believes. There is famous debate with then religious leaders and him when he declared that earth is in space (shunya) and not held on horns of Nandi. Bhaskara who gave many mathematical concepts was also not of that era. Their achievements cannot be clubbed with these epics and then used to testify myths. Secondly, India was not alone. Many eastern counties had thinkers of great competence and there had been interaction among them. So many of these achievements were common and it is difficult to ascribe to someone particular. Like concept of zero- Whether it was Babylonia or India has always been a debate.

A little on symbols too. They are trying to change or adopt the symbols of nation. Like, for example – sudden love for Sardar Patel, Gandhi, and Bhagat Singh etc. The reasons are simple. One- RSS does not have any figure which is in consciousness of people of this country. Simply by naming roads and buildings after Golwalakars and hedgawars does not help. They cannot name a single name who has fought against British. Only name is Savarkar. But he too after apologizing has lost his value. (This is also a fact that they do not consider British Raj as foreign rule. They date it back to 700 years back when Muslim rulers ruled India, and hail British for removing them. But the common man in country cannot take this- therefore need of new heroes). Their most popular face and possible nominee for Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee has a dubious history of being police witness during 1942 uprising. Sardar Patel as his views were closer to RSS. They are stealing congress symbols like Gandhi and Nehru. Worst is stealing Bhagat Singh. Releasing his Jail Notebook by Modi was like hanging him again. Without even knowing or reading Bhagat Singh, assigning him new values. This is disregarding the fact that he not only did not chose to join Hindu Maha Sabha or RSS but opposed such views. His debates with Lala Lajpat Rai etc. are well documented. But they will simply demean him and will make him some super hero who only fought against British raj they are doing cleverly, not only without giving the true views of person, but gradually adopting him and ascribing him their values.  

While they after reducing science to obscurantism, they are talking big of technology. Modi’s idea of digital India, talking of AndroidOne in Kashmir, smart city, bullet trains etc. are just a few examples of the same. Even his predecessors rode hi-tech hydraulic lift enabled Toyota vehicles and called them Raths, and used them to spread communal hatred.  How do we perceive connection in the two? By reducing science no nonsense they are achieving a few things. One, of course they are trying to prove the concept of Aryan superiority. It is so much dear to them. They want to prove that anything of foreign origin is wrong and whatever was Indian is not just right but greatest. Nothing of any merit could have been developed outside. That is why they are most vehement to oppose the historical theories of Aryan invasion, for if invasion is historical truth then Aryan and Vedic culture has come from outside and thus things from outside can be good. By doing this they also find a way to justify hatred for other religions.

They also curb the critical and rational thinking. By making people to believe in whatever has been in the scriptures as truth, by believing fantasies to be fact, and then raising to those heights. Research will be directed towards finding out or establishing the fictitious work. Up to now we have been able to criticize the nonsense irrational interpretation of history. But with the likes of YS Rao at the helm, the methods of arriving at conclusions too is going to be irrationality. Thus the ability to challenge will be curbed and all nonsense will go unchallenged.

By doing away with scientific methods, they will curb the development of science particularly that of basic science. Without bothering that it is basic science which can be the basis of any technological development later. Thus, even technological development too will be hampered and our dependence will continue to increase. As it is they are not against this dependence. Not just science but doing away with critical thinking and changing entire education to some skill development programme to produce skilled man power to cater the demands and needs of MNCs will also ensure that we do not have social leaders. We will not have intellectual leaders capable of independent thinking. There will not be good economists, educationists, philosophers, poets, thinkers who could guide and lead society and of course will not have good scientists.

This reminds one of what happened in Pakistan after General Zia ul Haq took over and forced scientific research to be Islamic research. Scientists started researching Jins (genie) and such concepts. Noted Pakistani nuclear physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy observed - “The traditional ulema are indeed a problem, but they are not the biggest one; the biggest problem is Islamism, a radical and often militant interpretation of Islam that spills over from the theological domain into national and international politics. Whenever and wherever religious fundamentalism dominates, blind faith clouds objective and rational thinking. If such forces take hold in a society, they create a mindset unfavourable for critical inquiry, including scientific inquiry, with its need to question received wisdom.”*[i]

It is not being asserted that system prior to them was very scientific and rational.  Governments, right from the beginning were not interested in people being too capable of thinking. But it was not so overt. Vide provision of constitution, which says that scientific temper should be developed, means at least on theory, government was not in opposition to scientific temper. So there was some following of this and at least people trying to do so had some acceptability. Even earlier we had Sarasvati pujas, breaking of coconut etc. before every official function, inauguration, so much so that many scientific projects (including Mangalyan and Chandrayan) were preceded with coconut breaking. But now it is brazen, intense and comes with justification. Irrationality and figment of fictions are going to be the order. Many of the critics including an article in organ of CPM “People’s Democracy” have asserted to go back to Nehruvian era. That era was not golden era. History had a communal flavor and role of Congress leaders was over glorified. Education system was not scientific and pro-people. Yes, there was some scope for people willing. Nor were his economic policies were pro people. In fact current policies are a continuation of the same. But as there is greater crisis of imperialism, need for such retrograde policies are need of the hour. It is not accidental that RSS is being allowed to pursue this.

They want to keep people busy in reading Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. and at the same time government increase the plunder of people. Shamelessly succumbing to the dictates of capitalists and bowing down to imperialists powers, inviting them to exploit our cheap labour and natural resources. And people should remain busy in reading scriptures, taking pride in ‘glory’ of the past and remain drunk with chauvinism will not look at this. For them patriotism will be fighting for Gita, Sarasawati Puja, attacking critics of irrationality, attacking minorities etc. that is what they will learn and imbibe. They are not averse to foreign capital (all development programs are to be done by FDI), kowtowing to foreign (MNCs, imperials powers and institutions) finance. In fact the PM himself is going around inviting companies to come and exploit. Their national pride is not hurt in being dependent on these things (including Bullet train, AndriodeOne) of foreign origin. They will be happy in getting the country looted by these MNCs and putting the large majority of people (majority of which are Hindus) being pushed to further desolation. They are the same brand who lick Michael Jackson while oppose Ghulam Ali. Their rhetoric are for public consumption and action for serving imperialism and its lackeys.

Glaring is the silence of scientific community and academicia in general. With the exception of one or two, no one from scientific fraternity has raised any voice. They seem to be either carried away with so called Modi wave or thinking of individual career, too scared to speak. This silence will be very dangerous, for they may save their career but will spoil future generations and future of country. There are voices here and there but no powerful striving to challenge the same. This is the need of the hour.

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[i]  Poem by Pakistani poetess Fahmeeda Riyaz very relevant here.

तुम बिल्कुल हम जैसे निकले

अब तक कहाँ छिपे थे भाई

वो मूरखता, वो घामड़पन

जिसमें हमने सदी गंवाई

आखिर पहुँची द्वार तुम्हारे

अरे बधाई, बहुत बधाई।

प्रेत धर्म का नाच रहा है

कायम हिंदू राज करोगे ?

सारे उल्टे काज करोगे !

अपना चमन ताराज करोगे !

तुम भी बैठे करोगे सोचा

पूरी है वैसी तैयारी

कौन है हिंदू, कौन नहीं है

तुम भी करोगे फतवे जारी

होगा कठिन वहाँ भी जीना

दाँतों आ जाएगा पसीना

जैसी तैसी कटा करेगी

वहाँ भी सब की साँस घुटेगी

माथे पर सिंदूर की रेखा

कुछ भी नहीं पड़ोस से सीखा!

क्या हमने दुर्दशा बनाई

कुछ भी तुमको नजर न आयी?

कल दुख से सोचा करती थी

सोच के बहुत हँसी आज आयी

तुम बिल्कुल हम जैसे निकले

हम दो कौम नहीं थे भाई।

मश्क करो तुम, आ जाएगा

उल्टे पाँव चलते जाना

ध्यान न मन में दूजा आए

बस पीछे ही नजर जमाना

भाड़ में जाए शिक्षा-विक्षा

अब जाहिलपन के गुन गाना।

आगे गड्ढा है यह मत देखो

लाओ वापस, गया ज़माना

एक जाप सा करते जाओ

बारम्बार यही दोहराओ

कैसा वीर महान था भारत

कैसा आलीशान था-भारत

फिर तुम लोग पहुँच जाओगे

बस परलोक पहुँच जाओगे

हम तो हैं पहले से वहाँ पर

तुम भी समय निकालते रहना

अब जिस नरक में जाओ वहाँ से

चिट्ठी-विठ्ठी डालते रहना।

 फहमीदा रियाज