New Delhi: A day after more than 50 historians from across India, including eminent names like Romila Thapar, BD Chattopadhyaya, Upinder Singh, MGS Narayanan and DN Jha, issued a statement expressing concern about the “highly vitiated atmosphere prevailing in the country, characterized by various forms of intolerance”, eminent historian Irfan Habib, who was one of the signatories to the statement, told Uday Singh Rana he was concerned that religious and caste minorities are being persecuted and India is turning into a mirror image of Pakistan under RSS rule.
Historian Irfan Habib, sparked off a controversy when he compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the international terror group, Islamic State. The writers, artistes, thinkers, historians and academics had gathered for a “resistance” meet (Prat-irodh) against what they described as an “attack on reason, democracy and composite culture”.
Intellectually, there is not much difference between RSS and ISIS,” he was quoted as saying. Writers, historians, poets, filmmakers are protesting against escalating intolerance in the country ever since the BJP-led government came to power.
FM Arun Jaitley says Left intellectuals practising intolerance against BJP, PM Modi] Habib alleged that the Modi Government at Centre is providing a free-hand to its ideological affiliates to spread a reign of saffron terror. The Left intellectual also called the Modi regime more communal than the earstwhile NDA Government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Taking strong exception to his comments several intellectuals, including famous journalists, ridiculed Habib for his insensitive comparison.
Bureau Report
historian, rss, isis, modi government, nda government, bjp, riots, twitter, social media, sahitya akademi award
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