Like any genuine student of history who is familiar with the facts, I am not going to even talk about the historical perspective here. Coincidentally Mr. Gautier is also not doing that - talk about history that is, so that makes my job easier.
But what is worthy of comment is 'our' reaction to what Gautier has to say.
One thing that%u2019s very apparent from Gautier%u2019s diatribe is his conviction that %u2018In India, nothing divides like religion%u2019. And he%u2019s so right. All that Gautier had to do was to fish out one controversy from our past and we are all at each other%u2019s throats. I can almost hear a chuckle from Gautier. Advantage him. The agent provocateur rubs his hands in glee. He is glad to report to his sponsors that Indians still respond to the tried and tested trigger of %u2018divide & weaken%u2019 that saw the country being ruled by foreigners for a few hundred years and go through a heart-wrenching partition in %u201847.
Is the news all bad? Thankfully, a lot of us have learnt to stop and think before letting it fly. Sadly, some of us still let people like Gautier win.
RE:Aurangzeb & Us.
by Secular Indian on Feb 20, 2007 04:52 AM Permalink
Even if Mr. Gautier is playing the role of an agent provocateur, why is that a bad thing if it forces one to question the accepted dogma about certain things that happened in our not to distant past ? A sense of ones own History is a pre-requisite to true nation building, warts and all. There I've heard documentaries made by China that detail their history from the founding of China to the present day (warts and all). As a consequence a Chinese (my sample set) is very aware of his/her place in the world of civilizations. They are also acutely aware of the reasons that led to their fall in prestige in the late 19th and 20th century and this is what will make them a great nation. Unlike the wishy-washy bullshit that Indians are fed which makes them prone to inane feel-good bullshit and most are clue-less about their own civilizations greatest achievements and failings.
RE:Aurangzeb & Us.
by Day lambu on Feb 20, 2007 03:24 AM Permalink
But the problem is history is interpreted differently to suit vested interests. Having read Gautier for many years, I am convinced that he is more Indian than many of the self proclaimed history pundits. He values our culture and traditions and it is from the genuine pain that he feels when he sees we Indian not recognizing the value of our heritage and the threats posed to them that he comes up with such articles. He calls a spade a spade and that is why he is contreversial. Hail Gautier
