Context

• In March 2025, a surge of textbook revisions across India, coincided with a wave of public anger targeting Mughal monuments.
• Viral campaigns incited vandalism and called for the renaming or destruction of tombs, reflecting a disturbing trend: the reduction of centuries of complex history into a simplistic narrative of heroes and villains.
• While some argue that such moves correct historical inaccuracies or colonial biases, the selective rewriting of history risks deepening social divides rather than clarifying the past.

The Role of History: Discernment, Not Dogma

• History, as a discipline, demands nuance. It is not a static record of events but a dynamic interpretation of causes, contexts, and consequences.
• However, when manipulated through ideological lenses to restore perceived glories or correct alleged injustices, history ceases to guide societies toward wisdom and instead becomes a tool for sowing division.
• This phenomenon, where historical revisionism is driven by political motives, can fracture social cohesion and provoke violence, especially when used to reclaim a so-called ‘status quo ante.’

Revisionism vs. Reinterpretation

• A crucial distinction must be made between historical reinterpretation and revisionist history.
• Reinterpretation is an academic process, an evolving inquiry informed by new evidence or perspectives that refine our understanding.
• In contrast, revisionism, particularly when fuelled by political agendas, seeks to recast the past to justify contemporary ideologies.
• This distortion often underpins identity politics, territorial claims, and nationalist fervour, leading to cycles of resentment and retaliation.

Historical Precedents of Revisionism

• Crusade Wars
  • The danger of historical revisionism is not theoretical—it is well-documented across centuries.
  • The Crusades exemplify how religious narratives were used to justify bloodshed under the pretence of reclaiming holy lands.
  • The First Crusade (1096–1099), launched to recapture Jerusalem, ignited centuries of conflict between Christian and Muslim powers, leaving a legacy of mistrust rather than reconciliation.
• European Wars of Religion
  • Similarly, the European Wars of Religion during the 16th and 17th centuries, including the catastrophic Thirty Years’ War, reveal the consequences of reviving religious grievances.
  • Fuelled by the Protestant Reformation and a desire to restore Catholic dominance, these conflicts led to immense human and economic devastation.
  • Instead of fostering understanding, historical grievances were weaponised, plunging Europe into chaos.

20^th Century Examples of Dangerous Revisionism

• Nazi Germany
  • In the 20th century, Nazi Germany offers the most extreme and chilling example.
  • Adolf Hitler’s ideological narrative of a betrayed and humiliated Germany, bolstered by myths of Aryan superiority and a manipulated interpretation of the Treaty of Versailles, culminated in the Second World War and the Holocaust.
  • Here, history was not just re written, it was used as a license for conquest and genocide.
• The Partition of India
  • Even in more recent times, historical revisionism continues to wreak havoc.
  • The Partition of India in 1947 was marred by competing historical narratives between Hindu and Muslim communities.
  • Instead of a peaceful transition into two sovereign nations, the result was one of the most violent episodes of communal strife in history, driven by the desire to reclaim lost identities rather than shape a shared future.
• Israel-Palestine Conflict
  • In the contemporary era, the Israel-Palestine conflict stands as a tragic example of clashing historical narratives that remain irreconcilable.
  • Both sides claim historical rights to the same land, perpetuating a cycle of violence and displacement with little progress toward peace.
• Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
  • Similarly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, justified by revisionist rhetoric about historical unity and territorial continuity, has caused immense suffering and regional destabilisation.
  • These events underscore the destructive consequences of using history as a justification for present-day aggression.

The Way Forward: History as a Guide, not a Grudge

• History must serve as a teacher, not as a template for revenge.
• Recognising historical injustices is crucial, but using them to justify modern-day retribution only perpetuates conflict.
• The yearning for a golden past often blinds societies to the opportunities of the present and the promise of the future.
• By learning from our shared past, through dialogue, empathy, and a commitment to truth, we can avoid the pitfalls of vengeance and chart a course toward a more inclusive and peaceful future.

Conclusion

• As philosopher George Santayana warned, ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’
• But just as perilous are those who remember only to relive it, driven not by humility, but by hubris.
• The greatest tribute we can pay to history is not to revise it to suit contemporary ideologies, but to reckon with it honestly.