New Delhi, February 24: Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha emphasized the importance of understanding history within its context. His remarks came in response to the mention of judicial corruption and changes related to the 1947 partition in the new NCERT textbook for Class 8.
Jha noted that Mahatma Gandhi and many leaders of that era opposed the partition. However, the violent circumstances at the time forced some decisions to be made under pressure. “It is easy to give speeches today, but it is inappropriate to comment without understanding the realities of that period,” he stated. He highlighted that the freedom movement was primarily led by Congress at that time.
The NCERT has made significant changes in the Class 8 social science textbook, stating that while Gandhi and Congress leadership were against the partition, they eventually accepted it as the only viable path forward.
Jha also raised concerns regarding the arrest of Uday Bhanu Chib, president of the Indian Youth Congress, in connection with a protest at the AI Impact Summit. He questioned not only the arrest but also the narrative suggesting that Chib is the mastermind behind the incident. “This was a protest, and I have studied the history of protests since 1952. In incidents like the Red Fort, Pahalgam, and Pulwama, it was never clear who the masterminds were. Now, suddenly identifying a mastermind in a small protest raises questions,” he remarked.
He urged the government to reconsider its stance on this issue.
Regarding the ban on selling non-vegetarian food near schools and religious sites in Bihar, Jha suggested that Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha’s politics appears influenced by Giriraj Singh’s model. He pointed out that India is a country of diversity and complexities, where social and cultural realities vary. He provided an example from his village, where a school is located near a temple, and animal sacrifice is part of tradition. “A one-size-fits-all political approach cannot be the solution,” he stated.
Jha concluded by asserting that raising such issues for the sake of staying in the headlines is not appropriate. He called for alternative thinking in politics.
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