Minister of Higher Education K.T. Jaleel has said that no government has succeeded by detaining or degrading minorities, and the countries that have rejected them have failed. He was addressing the concluding session of the Indian History Congress (IHC) at Kannur University here on Monday.
History has shown that the expulsion of French Protestants and minorities led to the fall of France. Had Adolf Hitler not killed and deported the Jews, Germany would have become the most powerful economic power in the world, he said. Similarly, after the expulsion of the Muslim minority, Spain was being thrown into anarchy and instability. It is a historical fact that minorities have been instrumental in the development of nations and societies, the Minister observed.
Mr. Jaleel said in India each sect or religion charms itself and adds charm to other sects and religions. This unity in diversity is what sets the country apart. If India becomes a religious nation, contrary to democratic and secular ideologies, it will be disturbed by endless conflicts over caste, religion, and language, he added.
The Minister said the country’s national agenda and the National Citizenship Register were fraught with efforts to sabotage constitutional principles. It is the duty of historians to condemn and resist discriminatory moves against a particular community, he said.
Mr. Jaleel was of the view that the new law, which provides for asylum for oppressed religious minorities in the three neighbouring countries, was exclusively for Muslims. Asked if religious persecution is the standard for asylum, Ahmadiyyas, who are facing discrimination in Pakistan, have been excluded. The Minister observed that the 80th history congress was happening at a time when the Indian democracy was going through a critical period. This is a time when people cutting across caste and religion have come together to defend the Constitution of the country, he said.
“But in many parts of the country, even peaceful protests are being fought cruelly. It is time to fight together to defend the history, nation, and the Constitution,” he said, adding that historians should come forward to guide the country in this time of crisis.
Later, the Minister released the IHC souvenir in the presence of Prof. Amiya Kumar Bagchi, president IHC. Kannur University Vice Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran presided over the function.
