How Left Historians Waged War Against Bharat?

Leftist Historians in Congress-Era and Their War Against Bharat

Introduction

The history of India has been one of resilience, valor, and civilizational continuity. However, in the post-independence era, a deliberate effort was made to rewrite Indian history through a leftist lens. Under Congress rule, leftist historians gained influence over academic institutions and government-supported research, shaping a distorted narrative of India’s past. These historians, influenced by Marxist ideology, sought to undermine India’s indigenous heritage, vilify Hindu civilization, and promote a Eurocentric or Mughal-centric view of history. The impact of their work has been far-reaching, creating generations of students who grew up with an incomplete and often misleading understanding of Bharat’s glorious past.

The Rise of Leftist Historians in Congress-Era

After independence, the Congress government sought to create a new historical narrative for India. However, instead of relying on authentic sources and indigenous traditions, it invited left-leaning historians, many of whom were deeply influenced by Marxist ideologies. These historians were given positions in prestigious institutions such as the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), and various universities.

Notable leftist historians like Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib, and R.S. Sharma played a significant role in shaping the discourse on Indian history. Their approach systematically downplayed the contributions of Hindu rulers, ignored the civilizational continuity of India, and instead glorified Mughal and colonial rule. They labeled indigenous traditions as myths while accepting the Eurocentric and Islamic narratives without scrutiny.

How Leftist Historians Distorted Indian History

1. Downplaying Hindu Civilization One of the most significant contributions of leftist historians in the Congress era was their systematic downplaying of India’s Hindu civilization. Despite the overwhelming evidence of advanced Vedic science, astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy, leftist historians dismissed these achievements as mere mythology. They propagated the Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT), which suggested that India’s civilization was not indigenous but brought by foreign invaders. This theory, despite lacking strong archaeological support, was widely promoted to divide Indian society and undermine its historical unity.
2. Glorification of Mughal and Islamic Rule Leftist historians ensured that school textbooks glorified Mughal rulers like Akbar while whitewashing the atrocities of rulers like Aurangzeb, who was responsible for mass conversions, temple destructions, and persecution of Hindus. Aurangzeb was presented as a just and secular ruler, whereas Hindu rulers who fought against Islamic aggression, such as Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, were labeled as mere ‘regional’ kings rather than national heroes.
3. Vilification of Hindu Kings and Leaders Leaders like Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, and Prithviraj Chauhan, who resisted foreign invasions, were often portrayed as rebels or insignificant figures. Their contributions to preserving Bharat’s cultural and political independence were minimized, whereas invaders like Babur and Akbar were shown as benevolent rulers who ‘united’ India.
4. Secularization and Distortion of History Leftist historians under Congress-era policies aggressively pushed a ‘secular’ version of history, which often meant erasing the religious and cultural identity of Bharat. They claimed that India had no real concept of Hindu identity before British rule, ignoring centuries of Hindu kingdoms and civilizations that defined the subcontinent. They also painted India’s independence struggle as a solely Congress-led movement, downplaying the role of revolutionaries like Veer Savarkar, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, and Rajguru. The ideological leanings of these revolutionaries did not align with the leftist-Marxist narrative, leading to their exclusion or minimal representation in history books.
5. Erasing the Impact of Islamic Invasions The brutal Islamic invasions that led to the destruction of thousands of temples, the mass killings of Hindus, and forced conversions were either completely erased from textbooks or downplayed as ‘cultural interactions.’ Instead of acknowledging the genocidal campaigns of figures like Mahmud of Ghazni, Mohammad Ghori, and Alauddin Khilji, leftist historians framed them as mere ‘political conflicts’ rather than religious persecution.
6. Suppression of Indigenous Historical Evidence Archaeological evidence that supported India’s ancient history was often ignored or dismissed. Findings such as the Saraswati River civilization, which challenged the Aryan Invasion Theory, were sidelined. Hindu temple ruins found beneath Islamic structures like the Babri Masjid were ridiculed and dismissed as political propaganda, despite strong historical and archaeological evidence.

Impact of Leftist Historical Distortions

The consequences of the leftist war against Bharat’s true history have been severe:

1. Loss of National Identity – Generations of Indians have grown up disconnected from their true heritage, believing a distorted version of their own history.
2. Hinduphobia and Cultural Shame – Many Hindus, after being subjected to distorted historical narratives, developed a sense of inferiority and guilt regarding their own traditions.
3. Division and Communal Conflicts – By promoting a false narrative of Hindu-Muslim unity under Mughal rule and ignoring historical atrocities, leftist historians sowed seeds of confusion and conflict among different communities.
4. Weakening of Nationalist Movements – By erasing the contributions of revolutionaries and Hindu rulers, the nationalist spirit of Bharat was deliberately weakened.

Countering the Leftist Narrative

Fortunately, in recent years, efforts have been made to counter the falsehoods spread by leftist historians:

• Rewriting Textbooks – Many state governments are revising school textbooks to include the real history of Bharat, ensuring that young students learn about their true heritage.
• Independent Research – Scholars and historians outside the leftist-controlled academic institutions are publishing well-researched works that challenge the distorted narratives.
• Social Media Awareness – The rise of social media has allowed individuals to challenge false historical claims and spread the truth about Bharat’s glorious past.
• Archaeological Research – New excavations and discoveries, such as those related to the Saraswati River, are helping disprove outdated leftist theories.

Conclusion

The leftist war against Bharat’s history was not merely an academic exercise but a calculated attack on the nation’s identity and cultural consciousness. The Congress era provided a platform for these distortions, allowing leftist historians to dictate historical narratives that undermined India’s indigenous heritage. However, Bharat’s civilization is far too ancient and resilient to be erased by propaganda. As more people awaken to the truth, the leftist monopoly over Indian history is crumbling, and Bharat’s true story is finally being reclaimed.

It is imperative for future generations to learn history from authentic sources and not from ideologically driven distortions. Only then can Bharat regain its rightful place as one of the world’s oldest and most advanced civilizations.