Rewriting History: Arlekar's Perspective on India's Freedom Struggle

Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar asserts that British rulers left India due to the threat of armed resistance, not 'satyagraha'. He calls for revealing true historical narratives, particularly about the Goa inquisition and accuses Congress-led governments of supporting narratives that cast Indians as subjugated.

Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar has made a provocative claim that British rulers left India not because of Mahatma Gandhi's 'satyagraha', but after realizing that armed resistance from native people posed a real threat. He stressed the need to bring forth true historical narratives without fear.

Speaking at a book event, Arlekar criticized the portrayal of Indian history, particularly the narrative perpetuated by the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) and alleged that Congress-led governments supported a slavery mentality. He pointed to the Goa inquisition as a history that needs retelling.

Arlekar, who has roots in Goa, suggested that true accounts of India's independence, including armed struggles, need to be discussed. He urged scholars to examine British parliamentary debates which acknowledged the impact of armed resistance as a catalyst for independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)