Will campaign on contribution of unsung heroes in Indian history: RSS body

An RSS-affiliated body on Thursday said it will sprearhead a campaign on the contributions made by unsung heroes of the past who did not get due recognition in Indian history, which needs to be written with a national perspective.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has prepared a list of such unsung heroes -- who made the supreme sacrifice for the country -- through its subsidiary body, the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana, and will run the campaign in society to present their contributions, the body's chief Balmukund Pandey told media persons here.

"History we have been studying since childhood is not as per the national perspective. It was written by the British with a colonial mindset. After Independence, the Leftists distorted this history to their own benefit. Now, this needs to be changed," Pandey said.

He said many academics and research scholars were working to give the unsung heroes of ancient Indian history and the freedom struggle their due credit.

"The last Hindu ruler of Delhi, Hemchandra Vikramaditya or Hemu, was not given due credit in history. In his place, Mughal ruler Akbar was described as The Great. Likewise you don't find mention of Banda Bairagi, Veer Kunwar Singh, and many others," he said.

The organisation will hold a seminar in Delhi this week on Hemu's contribution and why he was not given due credit in Indian history, Pandey said.

He alleged that well-known historian Bipin Chandra has described Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a "terrorist" in one of his books and the new generation is taught only what he has said.

Pandey, however, maintained that the body was not in favour of deleting any name from the history books. "But when we add some new names, the space for earlier ones will shrink," he said.

The RSS leader also rejected the idea of constructing a temple dedicated to humanity at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, with a Ram temple in the centre and surrounded by holy places of other religions.

"There must be a Ram temple there. There can't be any other option," he said.

--IANS

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