Indology
Indology (study about Indian society) emerged in the 17th century in Europe. European countries like Germans, French, and British studied Indians for different purposes. While Germans were not attempting to invade India, the British were. Indology was also introduced to Harvards by Americans who they named “Oriental Studies”. However, following independence, the study of India in the United States shifted considerably. Currently, it is known as South Asian studies.
Indian Society and Atrocity literature
Britishers in their atrocity literature writings attacked Indian society by linking the cruelty of native people and tried to show Indian society as inferior to others. Atrocity literature was a precursor to genocide, when it is proven that a group of people are inferior it becomes inevitable to invade them. The same was purposefully done for religious conversion, to civilize Indians, or to steal Indian lands. They defended their own illegitimate acts utilizing it. The writings portrayed their greatness to favor Indians in civilizing a cruel Indian society. It was all presented for the betterment of Indians which has resulted in the emergence of a new term called today ‘Hinduphobia’. It is similar that the business of ‘Dismantling Hindutva’ in West, which will be a call for cultural genocide.
There is a positive side of atrocity literature too and it may be justified when the purpose is to improve society. These kinds of literature are called ‘Critical theories’, ‘Literary theories.
The leftist ideology in Indian post-colonial times was influenced by writings of atrocity literature. The British themselves were not in support of leftist ideology, and even it was not supported in the United States. However, at the same time, they were trying to export a superior leftist ideology i.e. Marxism to India. Other countries like the Soviet Union exported the leftist ideologies in India by creating political grounds like CPI and CPM in India. While Americans were transporting it through the ‘Ford Foundation’ and sending social scientists to study India for anthropological purposes. All wanted to fit into the Indians’ perceptions of who we were and how we were. The Indian leftist form of Marxism layered by Atrocity literature during post-colonial studies.
Atrocity literature is at the heart of Western liberal art. Adoption of this art in our world’s reputed universities like IITs, IIMs, and medical colleges will support the creation of many more JNUs like anti national propagative university . If these theories are allowed to be taught to our next generation, things may even get worse.
Post-colonial views about Indians
Post-colonial studies have done a good job of criticizing the colonizer. However, it was quickly modified and replaced with subaltern studies. Subaltern studies suggest that people at the lowest level so-called subaltern people in India do not have a voice. American scholars, sitting in prominent places like ivory towers, are expected to give voices to them. The scholars are also getting educate that they are being oppressed by themselves. The so-called Superior people will provide voices to Dalits, Minorities, Women, and Maoists. Now, Superior people are trying to make subaltern people rebellious against their own country by feeding them different kinds of stories with some mis-information like oppression between communities, regions, and religions by feeding fabricated stories. For example, oppression of South Indians by North Indians, Dalits oppressed by the upper caste and Muslims oppressed by Hindus, and projecting that all Indians are against them.
Infiltration to Indians’ thinking and impact
The above misinformation is tightly linked with the Indian higher education system. The mis-information is playing its role in developing Indian society through the NCERT syllabus into schools. The result is now visible in thinking of Indian courts, bureaucracy, IAS people, Media, and many other fields. Some people have adopted ‘Secularism’ against ‘Hinduism’ due to all that fabricated misinformation.
It is now being projected as postmodernism. In the name of postmodernism, Freud’s psychoanalytic theories are being presented to boost up the same kinds of narratives. For example, It presents feminism as if males were oppressing females. Valmiki, the writer of Ramayana is now presented behind the thinking of male chauvinism and Ram was oppressing Sita. Male chauvinism refers to male prejudice against women; the belief that men are superior in terms of ability, intelligence, etc.
In third world countries, the postmodernism theories are creating a narrative that an institution named ‘Family’ is a bad thing for feminism. Family is the core idea behind someone’s oppression. This kind of feminism is motivating to a path of liberation by making them rebel against their family. The most unfortunate is as it is now in fashion and being accepted by a large number of people including educated classes in India.
Need of the hour
The production of atrocity literature has infiltrated our Indian society including young people, universities, basic education, bureaucrats, politicians, billionaires, and all others.
As an Indian society to protect our civilization, It is our responsibility to understand and correct these wily theories which were developed to infiltrate the minds of our society. Also, We should ask the right question about the motive of their ecosystem who fund such theories.
Reference Book- ‘Breaking India’ by Rajiv Malhotra
Written By,
Preksha Singhal
Other Reference Links:
https://www.hindujagruti.org/news/37048.html
http://indiafacts.org/atrocity-literature-western-recipe-dismantle-india-hinduism/
