Since 1947 the names of places, statues, roads and
institutions associated with the English rulers are being changed by names particularly
politically controversial ones. Wellington Crescent, Connaught place and many more
such old names are now getting “indianized”. Is it chauvinism, patriotism or an
effort to forget history in a way that suits the politicians? Were the English
more barbaric, oppressive, atrocious, tyrannical and cruel than the fanatic and
uncivilized bigots like the Turks, Afghans, Arabs, Moguls and Mongols?
It is shameful that we have roads in Delhi named after
religiously intolerant and diabolically Mephistophelian characters like
Aurangzeb.
Undoubtedly slavery and thralldom kills a nation’s
conscience. But civilizations of the world have unfolded themselves over
histories which one cannot afford to wipe out even if repugnant and abhorrent.
If the English had not conquered India then the Indians certainly would not
have been able to extricate themselves from the medieval slavery. Modern education,
legal structures, law-codes, Science & technology and the unification of India
from the Helmand to the Cape of Comorin not only politically but also through the
networks of Railways and post & telegraphy was not less than a miracle
those days. So it is invidiously devious to give the medieval religious obscurantist
a priority over the English subjugators who never destroyed any place of
worship unlike the Islamic invaders nor did they ever interfere with the
religious predilections of the Indian people.
The politicians can obliterate some physical historical
vestiges like the Taliban did by destroying the pre-Islamic Bamiyan Buddha but
cannot bring back the ancient glory of the country ravaged and damaged by the
foreign invaders who by their savagery tried to destroy the primordial Indian culture.
As a nation we failed to defend our culture and civilization
against the foreign marauders right since the 7th century A.D. now we
have no right to tamper with the historical facts pertaining to the English
era.