Karnataka is facing the danger of using and misusing history to promote sectarian conflicts, said historian Ramachandra Guha. Electoral politics has given scope to such tendencies by manipulating caste and communal issues. It is not correct to judge Tipu Sultan by the standards of the 21st century, like the Congress does, or by the standards of the 1st century, like Yogi Adityanath does, he said. Concepts of communalism and secularism do not apply to a distant past, he said.
On celebrating jayantis, Mr. Guha said the government should not get into the business of celebrating anniversaries of historical personalities of post-Republic days. The concept of state and society has changed since India became a Republic, he added.
It is ideal to celebrate birth anniversaries of Shivaram Karanth, K.V. Subbanna and the likes. Also, there are no issues if the residents of Srirangapatana celebrate Tipu Sultan jayanti, and Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated in any of the shakhas. But the government celebrating these occasions at the cost of public money are wrong in the Republic, he said.
