New Delhi: The great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi said he was not surprised at Sangh Parivar’s alleged attempt at rewriting history prescribed for schools.
Tushar Gandhi, who authored ‘Let’s Kill Gandhi! A Chronicle of His Last Days, The Conspiracy, Murder Investigation and Trial’, said deletions in NCERT textbooks will give greater acceptance to the “campaign of misinformation of the Sangh Parivar”.
The NCERT has removed passages in textbooks prescribed for Class 12 political science and history. The portions removed includes passages on Mahtama Gandhi, his assassin Nathuram Godse and the 1948 ban on RSS. The NCERT curriculum is followed by several state boards across India, according to The Indian Express.
Responding to the raging controversy of text book deletions, Tushar Gandhi told The Indian Express that Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘real identity and legacy’ always ‘troubled’ the BJP-RSS.
While saying that he was not surprised at the development, Tushar Gandhi said Sangh Parivar never made secret of their desire to rewrite and discredit the established history.
“It serves two purposes — they are able to write a convenient version of history that suits them and they can paint Gandhi in the colour they wish to see him in. The real identity and legacy of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi has always troubled them,” he reportedly said.
The Opposition parties questioned the textbook deletions accusing the Centre of tying to ‘whitewash’ historical events that trouble the BJP.
Tushar Gandhi said Gandhi’s legacy troubles the BJP-RSS so much that it decided to 'tamper with the records of history the moment it gained that ability'.
The author also said textbook deletions will make the misinformation campaign by the BJP-RSS easier on a future generation with little exposure to real education and information.
‘This is their version of brainwashing in the very beginning. Instead of trying to overpower thoughts which have already been implanted, they are trying to build on the lies by implanting them in formative minds,’ he reportedly said.