Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003 |
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By Our Staff Correspondent
Delivering a special lecture on `History of Urbanisation in India' during the concluding session of the 64th Indian History Congress here today, Prof. Habib traced the town in Indian history from 2500 BC to the nineteenth century, raising vital issues connected with the processes of urbanisation. Emphasising the crucial role surplus produce, political organisation and technology played in the growth as well as decay of towns and cities, he criticised the stereotypes being perpetuated without any empirical evidence. Assailing the prejudices and fantasies underpinning the "psychological amnesia" of certain archaeological and cultural nationalists, he said the unearthing of archaeological sites or artefacts, which threw up vital truths about history, were glossed over if they came in the way of perpetuating their "favourite" ideas. He noted similar fantasies and prejudices in the anecdotal history of certain British historians, and the "new history" and "new archaeology" of the American scholars. The basis for post-modern American historical research does not lay sufficient emphasis on the emergence of markets, the prevailing political system or anthropology, he pointed out. Professor Barun De, in his presidential remarks, supported his view of de-urbanisation early under British rule on the basis of his own work on Bengal. The former Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, J.J. Grewal, who was also present during the lecture session, said there was clear evidence of proto-Dravidian language during the Rig Vedic period. "It was the language spoken during the period. Unfortunately, some scholars do not accept it." The Secretary of the Urban History Association of India (UHAI), Prof. Indu Banga, was also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, Prof. Arjun Dev, who participated in the sessions of the Indian History Congress here, noted that one of the notable "achievements" of the NDA Government at the Centre had been the communalisation of history through the NCERT. He opined that the Centre had not only communalised history but also destroyed it as an academic discipline. Referring to the appreciation of the NCERT by not only the Human Resource Development Ministry, but both the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister for "promotion of cultural nationalism," he said this was nothing but an euphemism for promoting communalism. Describing the NCERT as an organisation, which at one time contributed significantly to improving the quality of education in the country through its curricula and educational material, he said it was a pity that this organisation had been reduced to its present state, where it had become an object of ridicule.
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