After the turn of Writers, Artists, Filmmakers and Scientists, the turn goes to the historians to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over 50 historians, today came out to strongly protest against PM Modi. The mob started protesting on Modi for not making any re-assuring statement following concerns over “highly vitiated atmosphere” at present in the country. Among the 53 historians, leading names like Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib, KN Pannikar and Mridula Mukherjee are also included.

Historian Protesters Against PM Modi:

The group of members have in a joint statement released by Sahmat had raised their concerns over recent developments. “Differences of opinion are being sought to be settled by using physical violence. Arguments are met not with counter-arguments but with bullets,” the statement said referring to the Dadri lynching incident and the recent ink attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni  in Mumbai.

The protesters stated that “When writer after writer is returning their award of recognition in protest, no comment is made about the conditions that caused the protest; instead the ministers call it a paper revolution and advise the writers to stop writing. This is as good as saying that intellectuals will be silenced if they protest.” This issue is particularly worrying the historians who have already experienced attempts to ban their books and statements of history.

They said that the statements despite the fact that they were supported by sources. “What the regime seems to want is a kind of legislated history, a manufactured image of the past, glorifying certain aspects of it and denigrating others, without any regard for chronology, sources or methods of enquiry that are the building blocks of the edifice of history,” they said. The protesters expressed their concern about the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“And when it is hoped that the Head of Government will make a statement about improving the prevailing conditions, he chooses to speak only about general poverty; and it takes the Head of the State to make the required reassuring statement, not once but twice.” At least 36 writers including Nayantara Sahgal, Ashok Vajpeyi, Uday Prakash and K Veerabhadrappa had returned their Sahitya Akademi awards, and five writers stepped down from official positions of the literary body, protesting against its “silence” over “rising intolerance”.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher also termed the protest by writers as ”agenda driven” and said ”may  they should have made a delegation and met the government and registered their protest.”