Distortion of history

History and geography are two very important subjects taught in the school curriculum where it is observed that geography of the world changes due to so many natural calamities but once history is written it stays forever. It is because one cannot change the happenings of the bygone ages but thanks to some ill motivated historians, the historical events are manipulated according to their whims. In this regard I want to quote two instances where history has been distorted. Raja Hari Singh, the then ruler of Kashmir surrendered his State to India post independence. During his rule, Kashmiri pandits were his subjects. But in early 1990s, a movement started by some separatists backed by neighbouring Pakistan where majority Kashmiri pandits were subjected to immense torture as a result they had to leave their place and belongings and fled to different parts of the country. Now some historians are trying to project that Kashmir was and is inhabited by Muslims and Indian government is harassing what they call 'indigenous population'. Another instance is Persia, a country which was home to Persians but in today's map Persia is nowhere. The fact is that Persians were annihilated and a new state Iran was established. Again, a few historians are trying to distort the history by erasing the word Persia from the history chapters.

We can only hope that indigenous people of the Assam don't have to face a similar fate as that of Kashmiri pandits and the Persians. Already, thousands of forces are working overtime on this mission.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Ambari, Guwahati.