Doctored History, from ancient times till today by Professor Irfan Habib | 30/01/2022 | NSI

"Democracy Dialogues" is basically to initiate as well as join in the on-going conversation around this theme in academic as well as activist circles.
We feel that the very idea of democracy which has taken deep roots across the world, has come under scanner for various reasons. At the same time we have been witness to the ascendance of right-wing forces and fascistic demagogues via the same democratic route. There is this apparently anomalous situation in which the spread and deepening of democracy have often led to generating mass support for these reactionary and fascistic forces.
Coming to India, there have been valid concerns about the rise of authoritarian streak among Indians and how it has helped strengthen BJP's hard right turn. The strong support for democracy here is accompanied by increasing fascination towards majoritarian-authoritarian politics. In fact, we would like to state that a vigorous electoral democracy here has become a vehicle for hindutva-ite counterrevolution.
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[@neenaobhrai273]

Since I m learning ancient history with religion of the world and India, it’s true what is this lecture is, everyone should learn about our history without any bias then we will learn about true history.. thanks 🙏

[@bhupender3396]

Getting a doyen of History to speak on it’s doctoring was a great idea. Thanks for getting Prof Habib to speak on the ideological and political aspects of the discipline.

[@venkatkolagari491]

Thoughtful lecture. Congratulations to speaker and team

[@prasantadatta5151]

Thanks Prof. So enlighting even for non-historians. Please go on your endeavour.

[@sayeedmohammad8398]

Very nice session with Prof Irfan Habib sahab. Thanks to organiser n speaker..

[@avi2125]

Kudos to NSI for organizing this session with Prof Habib. Yet, as most well-known historians seem to ackowledge, there is an "issue" with what is called Indian history generally and "Ancient Indian History" in particular. Chronology is one of the issues, and many historians have written about this, esp. someone like Thomas Trautman. All the "Rethinking Ancient Indian History" books by Indian historians also speak to this fact. Therefore, the so-called right-wing historians and amateurs all jump in with amateurish ideas of chronology - based on later texts like the Puranas, shady astronomical references in classic texts and some questionable readings of inscriptions, to propose and root for the fabulous chronologies of yugas and kalpas. But then such is the nature of contested history. Prof. Habib has to acknowledge this. His excellent attempts at People's History volumes (along with Srimali) are commendable. He has to write more in news media and has to take various stands on social media - it must be done. Yet, as someone like Ed Bryant has shown, there is no easily discernible evidence to prove either belief in the Aryan Immigration Theory. As long as that hangs in balance, the indegenists will make hay and keep proposing all manner of Out of India theories. Other so-called sheet anchot dates such as that of the Buddha, of Ashoka, of Chandragupta Maurya all seem contestible, despite traditional Ceylonese chronicles and dotted records etc. The presence of Iron is another battleground, with the ASI (Lucknow) now claiming for c 1800 BCE as the possible date for "presence of iron technology" in the Lower Ganga Valley. People like VIbha Tripathi seem to have jumped on this earlier-date bandwagon. So now historians like Makkhan Lal want to push back the date of the Vedic texts. As the Ram temple struggle showed us, the fight over evidence is ultimately unwinnable in objective ways. But responsible historians have to engage and debunk. Like Prof Habib did with the Saraswati river issue, Like Shireen Ratnagar did during the temple issue. Like Romila Thapar has done on so many occassions but also in the context of producing a well-researched book on Somnath. Historians who care have to get their hands dirty by producing coiunter-arguments. And not just in EPW. As a snarky comment noted during Prof. Habib's lecture, and I paraphrase - "You lefties have been writing history books for all these years. And you complain the Right is distorting history?"

[@sumitkumar-qb8zh]

please organise such lectures in hindi so that mass people can understand

[@RahulKhandelwal.official]

Yes

[@krishnaramu5234]

Yes, it is valuable suggestion ! His lecture ought to translate in all Indian languages in order to facilitate all the peoples to get awareness on doctored history !

[@Rohit-pb4jd]

हिन्दी में करो भाई, वरना जनता whatsapp पर ही आंख फोड़ती रहेगी, लोगों की भाषा में करो भाई ऐसे गम्भीर समय में सब तक चीजे पहुंचनी चाहिए, वरना तुम चार लोगों के इतिहास पढ़ने से देश को घंटा फर्क नहीं पड़ने वाला

[@aman_insaan]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ-raqWhoa1orqM

[@AshokGupta-oq6hs]

Sirs,according to Professor Saheb , post independent india is a doctored nation,the only real nation which ever existed in india was Moghul Sultanate.

[@somnathde8680]

Thanks.

[@RahulKhandelwal.official]

Try to organise such talks or lectures in a language which people can understand. In academics world it is a very serious problem that they limit their talks among themselves only. It should reach more and more people so that people can learn from these lectures.

[@nitinpatil9555]

Wonderful!

[@mintusaren895]

Arya to abhee hai sir mere samne. It's India

[@saurabhunadkat7748]

😂😂😂 Funny Marxist Distorian An academic head - no proof , no paper, no evidence of any kind - and we are supposed to trust his BS 😂😂😂

[@mintusaren895]

Muslim of larkana yet to demolish of history

[@mintusaren895]

Hindutwa not like aryabrat.