Poisoning minds.

Byline: A.G. Noorani

IN an excellent review of the great Mughal Emperor Babar's memoir, The Babarnama, published in a leading English daily in India, the reviewer recommended that such works of the Mughal era be taught in Indian schools and colleges. He was running bravely against a powerful tide which the British rulers of India let loose in the 19th century and Indian revivalists swam merrily with that tide.

Indian Civil Service cadets were raised on James Mill's notorious The History of British India. He divided India's history into Hindu, Muslim and British rules. Mughal rule was Muslim rule though they settled down as Indians, married Hindu wives and had Hindus in high positions in the army and administration. The work had a lasting and baleful effect.

The secret will of Babar to Humayun, his son and successor, is illuminating. It read: 'Oh Son! The kingdom of India is full of different religions. Praised be God that He bestowed upon thee its sovereignty. It is incumbent on thee to wipe all religious prejudices off the tablet of thy heart, administer justice according to the ways of every religion. ...

ICS cadets were raised on James Mill's notorious work.

'Do not ruin the temples and shrines of any community which is obeying the laws of government. Administer justice in such a manner that the king be pleased with the subjects and the subjects with the king. The cause of Islam can be promoted more by the sword of obligation than by the sword of tyranny.'

This document alone suffices to provide a telling instance of abuse of history for the sordid ends of politics. The Babri Masjid built by Babar's general, Mir Baqi was demolished on Dec 6, 1992. Muslims were abused as 'Babar ki aulad' (Babar's offspring) by RSS goons. People were indoctrinated for decades with the RSS brand of history, including in the US.

In March 2006, The Times of India of carried an article by India's highly respected Romila Thapar and Michael Witzel, professor of history at Harvard University. Excerpts have been reproduced here. They reported how the California State Board of Education had 'to ask the community for suggestions in regard to the updating of school textbooks. Ominously unscientific, religious-based materials thus received may now be presented as historical facts. Remarkably, in this case, the religious fundamentalists are not Christian but Hindu. Initially, the goals of these pressure groups seem benign and even righteous. ...

'However, agendas being...