Recent Developments and Concerns
In March 2025, textbook revisions glorified certain native rulers while omitting or vilifying Mughal figures like Babur and Aurangzeb.
Public anger also led to campaigns demanding renaming or destroying Mughal monuments.
These changes are driven by ideological motives rather than historical accuracy.
Such selective rewriting of history can increase division and hatred in society instead of promoting understanding.
Weaponisation of History
History should be studied with context and care, not used to push political or ideological agendas.
Revisionist history tries to “correct” the past by restoring a glorified version of it, which leads to conflict.
Remembering historical wrongs is important, but trying to reverse history causes harm instead of healing.
Global Lessons from Misusing History
Crusades and European Wars of Religion show how historical grievances led to centuries of violence.
Nazi Germany used manipulated history to justify war and genocide.
The Partition of India saw mass violence due to selective historical narratives.
Ongoing conflicts like Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine show how reclaiming history can worsen present-day tensions.
The True Role of History
History should guide the present, not be used to recreate past conflicts.
Obsessing over a "golden past" can blind people to current opportunities.
True justice comes from reconciliation, not from reversing historical outcomes.
The best way to honour history is to learn from it with humility, not use it as a weapon.
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