by ROMILA THAPAR
Why is it that historians in particular are so concerned about communal ideology, the ideology of the communalists? Why is it that economist, sociologists and others who are in the social science: are less concerned while historians are constantly debating the ideology that is put out by communalism?
The answer to that question is that communal ideology always uses history for its justification. We had this with Muslim communalism in the 1920ís & the 30ís, when it was argued that Hindus and Muslims constitute two separate nations, two separate communities and very soon community becomes nation and there is talk about two separate nations. Therefore, you have to talk about the Hindu nation and the Muslim nation. This idea is also picked up by Hindu communal writing, in the concept of Hindutva in the 1920s and 1930s
But in addition to that, it is also a concern as I mentioned yesterday that when the Hindutva movement starts, in the writings of people like Savarkar and Golvalkar, there concern is with things like: What is the origin of our nation? How did the Hindu nation come into existence? In addition, if you are concerned with the origins of a people or a community or a nation, automatically you go to history.
…
So there is a difference between the ëhistorianís interpretation of the past and the interpretation which communal ideology tries to introduce into the history of India. Now, this is an important difference, it is something we must be clear about because very often the argument is made that: “But this is history. History tells us that, this is the birthplace of Ram, history tells us that there was a temple over here”.
The question is: Do historians accept it? How do historians argue? There are some historians who accept the birthplace and the temple. However, then, you have to ask: Those that support its being the birthplace of Ram, how do they argue and those historians that are opposing this idea how do they argue? So in a sense it is not enough to say, is it correct or not that this was the birthplace? You have to understand what the arguments are. In addition, this is where the role of historian again becomes extremely important because the historian is not accepting n popular view, whatever that popular view may be. The historianís view is different and you must acquaint yourself with what is the historianís view.
South Asia Citizens Web for more
(Thanks to Mukul Dube)