List members may remember that in 1998, an appeal was sent out on 
this list, to protest against the take-over of the ICHR (Indian 
Council of Historical Research) by the extreme right wing in India.  
You may also remember that the appropriation of the past was not new 
to the disciplines of archaeology and history there, having occurred 
already in the 'scholarly' contribution to the destruction of the 
Babri Masjid at Ayodhya.  Many of the 'scholars' involved in claims 
of the supposed existence of a primary Ram temple at Ayodhya, such as 
BB Lal and BR Grover, were subsequently appointed to the 
'saffronised' board of the ICHR.  BR Grover is now the chairman of 
that board.    
Below is a statement issued by historians fighting fascism in India 
today.  It illustrates very clearly what the result of that take-over 
has been.  Messages of support can be sent to one of the signatories, 
Professor KM Shrimali at: [log in to unmask] 

Maggie
...............................................

"The 'Towards Freedom' project of the Indian Council of Historical
Research aimed at bringing together documents which shed light on the
various aspects of the National Movement during the ten years preceding
Freedom.  It took much time for the collection from various archival and
private sources to be made. Finally, historians led by Prof. S.Gopal as
General Editor, began the work of final editing, as a result of which
the printing of the volumes has begun.  Three of the volumes covering
the years 1943-44, edited by the Late Prof. P.S.Gupta and three volumes
covering the year 1938, edited by Basudev Chatterjee have already been
published by the Oxford University Press.  All students of the National
Movement have been naturally looking forward to the rich addition the
volumes would make to our knowledge of such a crucial period of our
history.

"It is, therefore, extremely disturbing to read in the press that the
ICHR, which was duly 'saffronised' in 1998, has decided to withdraw the
two further volumes (edited by Prof. Sumit Sarkar and K.N.Panikkar) that
are already with the publishers, ostensibly for a 'review'.  It is
strange that while the gentlemen of the Sangh parivar, with the MHRD
minister, Shri Murli Manohar Joshi himself in the van, had been crying
hoarse over the delay in the project, they are now rushing to stop its
completion, through their nominees in the ICHR.

"It is clear that the withdrawal of these volumes is part of the plan to
spread a distorted and fictitious history of the National Movement, in
which those like the RSS luminaries who had never participated in it are
to be given the pride of place.  The action also amounts to the grossest
form of censorship, even if one forgets the presumption involved in any
one coming forward to screen the work of such eminent historians as
those who are editing the 'Towards Freedom' volumes.  The Sangh parivar
has, of course, no thought that by this action of censorship thay are
destroying the entire credibility of this project.

"Both as historians and citizens we strongly deplore this action and
call upon all concerned, including Parliament, to join in the endeavour
to save the Towards Freedom Project and ensure the publication of all
the volumes expeditiously and without any censorship."

The statement has been signed by three former Chairmen of ICHR
(Professors R.S.Sharma, Irfan Habib and Ravinder Kumar), Professor
K.M.Shrimali, Professor D.N.Jha, Professor Shireen Moosvi, Professor
Suvira Jaiswal and 32 other historians from different parts of India.



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