Decolonisation means presenting full authentic history with Indian perspective: Amit Shah

Mumbai, India - Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Ganesh Gyanarthi exhibition at the Asiatic Society of Mumbai on Sunday, asserting that true decolonisation means presenting accurate history from an Indian perspective. Shah argued against erasing history, emphasizing that decolonisation involves presenting knowledge authentically and from an Indian perspective.

The new committee at the society was tasked with understanding the objectives of Indian knowledge traditions and spreading this knowledge nationwide and internationally.

Addressing debates on historical preservation, Shah rejected claims that history is being altered unlawfully. He highlighted the presence of rare manuscripts, including an illustrated copy of the Mahabharata and texts of Jain Kalpasutra and Buddhism, which are not available elsewhere. Shah's vision for the Asiatic Society involves three aspects: identifying scholars from Maharashtra and across India to study the knowledge within the society's walls, connecting all libraries with preserved heritage on a common platform under the society's leadership, and establishing research facilities for the Gyan Bharatam National Manuscript Campaign.

Shah emphasized the need to trace, archive, and study ancestral documents preserved across villages in Maharashtra, proposing a grassroots campaign to collect these documents and link them with the Gyan Bharatam survey. By doing so, the society could unlock immense knowledge and create a shared pool of knowledge accessible to students, researchers, and scholars across the country. Shah reiterated his commitment to the Gyan Bharatam mission and expressed his desire to meet and collaborate with the new team informally.