The History In the Arguing

Historians Refuse to be Part of Controversy

The existing controversy between Brahmin-Maratha castes as taken a new turn with a hilarious exchange of statements today. A group which appears to be affiliated with the Sambhaji Brigade claimed that a major discussion on the history of Maharashtra will take place on Saturday, June 27. the statement issued by the organisation involved some big names like Gajanan Mehendale, who is credited with the most authentic biography of Chhatrapati Shivaji in India, Ninad Bedekar, a prominent historian and also Panduran Balkawade. But this towering figures have refused to be a part of the exercise saying they do not think it an appropriate place for the discussion.

Rashtra Seva Sangh, hitherto an unknown organisation has issued a statement that it wants to have clear discussion on the subject of Historical Research or Brahmin-Anti-Brahmin Controversy. The debate will take place at Nehru Memorial Hall, Ambedkar Road in the Camp area at 4:30 pm. The functionaries of the organisation appears to be associated with Sambhaji Brigade or Maratha Seva Sangh. Even the appearance of the statement gives a hint of that. But even before the statement could reach newspapers' offices and carried through, the historians themselves counter-fired salvo. The statement issued by Balkawade, Mehendale and Bedekar says, “We are researchers of the history. We ourselves decide as where to discuss subject related to history. We do not think this forum is appropriate for the discussion hence we have decided not to attend it.”

All Maharashtra is plagued by this inter-caste disputations over the last one month. Maratha and Brahmin castes are face to face over inclusion and deletion of certain parts in the history books taught to the students. Successive governments pertaining to political parties have added fuel to fire by constantly changing the texts in the curriculum. Now, it has snowballed into a feud between two communities in the state. With Legislative Assembly elections in the offing (scheduled to take place in October), we will be witnesses to more such things.