Ruing that a vast section of the country’s educated class continued to be in “mental slavery” even seven decades after foreign rule ended, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale called for a “national need for decolonisation of minds”.
“The soul of Bharat, long suppressed, should find utterance,” he said while delivering the address at the 13th convocation of JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (JSSAHER) in Mysuru on Monday.
“The Euro-centric ideas, systems and practices, the western world view were still ruling us for decades. Independent nation didn’t shirk them totally,” he said while pointing out that the wish of Thomas Macaulay “to create a class of people, who are Indians in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinion, in morals and intellect” was almost fulfilled.
“These men, who held key positions in education, judiciary, administration, institutions, in art and culture arena and in media, not merely remained mentally imprisoned, but cast aspersion against India’s culture and distorted the history and had an aversion to anything desi,” he said.
Further, Mr. Hosabale suspected that a “well thought-out plot” is being executed by people with vested interests to show “India in a bad light, to distort its history, tarnish cultural traditions and denigrate the values it has stood for”. “The course has to change. A grand narrative of Bharat has to be built. Both strengthening the cultural identity and flourishing of Bharat as a strong and prosperous nation have to be our mission,” he said.
RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale with the students of JSSAHER and other dignitaries. | Photo Credit: M A Sriram
Envisioning a rooted, indigenous education system
While pointing out that “Bharat has been a cradle of civilization” and the “most sought-after” educational destination in ancient times with Taxila, Nalanda, VikramShila and others attracting students from many other countries, Mr. Hosabale lamented that the colonial period saw the destruction of this tradition.
Though attention was turned towards rebuilding education soon after the nation attained independence with the setting up of commissions comprising prominent educationists, the RSS leader said “meaningful change in education to redeem our society from the mindset of colonisation and develop an education system — indigenous both in content and structure — could not be effected”.
A fresh education policy was brought about in 1986 and the country has progressed at an impressive pace in recent years, he said. However, there was a need to address quality and some very fundamental issues of education. “The dire need for another comprehensive policy was fulfilled only in the year 2020 in the form of National Education Policy”, he said.
“This National Education Policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high-quality education to all and thereby making India a global knowledge super power,” he said.
