'Can't be confined to Congress': Tamil Nadu Governor on history of India's freedom struggle

Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu): In a speech at a recent seminar on the contribution of South Indian languages to the freedom struggle, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi appealed for a wider and more inclusive perspective on the nation's freedom movements. He said, "When we look for a mass movement it could not just be confined only to Indian National Congress. They were great leaders there was no doubt about it but there were far many more people. And that is how we find the people like Dr BR Ambedkar, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, Veera Pandiya Kattabomman, Velunachiyar, Chidambaram Pillai, Marudhu Brothers, Puli Devan, and many of them. They do not find an adequate place in the mainstream in the National freedom movement and there are many more."

'Mainstream record of national movements revolve around INC'

Ravi also commented on the mainstream narrative of the national movement, saying, "The fact is the mainstream record of the national movements taught to our students in schools and colleges by large revolve around the history of the Indian National Congress. Since they were the ones who were prominently leading the movement. Mahatma Gandhi was the helm of affairs, so those who were not the part of National freedom movement fall either on the margin or footnote or nowhere."

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'Need for a more honest approach'

He added, "When did the National freedom movement begin? Larger narrative in the country says 1857. Even if we take the European conquer colonization, was it that in 1857 when the freedom movement began? If that's so what about 1806? They colonized our minds. When our mind is colonized even today how can we give justice to the National freedom movement? How can we, on one hand, think and praise colonization and praise those who colonized us (Britishers) and we talk about the National freedom movement and those who did it? I think there is a need for a more honest approach to it."

Tamil Nadu governor's appeal

Ravi emphasized the need for a national perspective on the freedom struggle, saying, "I think our scholars our academicians our students who are interested in research, need to wildcard it in the way to develop a national perspective on the National freedom movement. Unless you have the national perspective on our national freedom movement our national freedom movement on history will concoct. We should eradicate the colonial mind sent from us and it's not easy."

(With ANI inputs)