Indian History - The Facts by Ashish Joshi

India adopted Parliamentary democracy & cabinet system .   All the decisions by the Executive are  taken through the Cabinet. The Cabinet system is based on collective responsibility.   So let me, as a student of History, state it upfront that it is wrong to hold any one individual responsible for reference of Kashmir issue to United Nations .   It is important to understand the historical circumstances which made the reference to United Nations inevitable, as explained in part -2 of my blog post. As per Independence Act 1947 passed by the British Parliament, each princely State had to take a decision to either join India or Pakistan.   The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir dithered.   When the situation in J&K got out of control, Maharaja sought help of the Indian Government after signing the instrument of accession. During September and October 1947, the troops of Maharaja carried out a campaign of sustained harassment, arson, physical violence ...

As a student of History, the ongoing case on Section 377 of IPC in Supreme Court, has made me do some historical research on the existence of 'Homo-sexuality" in India since Ancient India through Medieval to the Modern. Ancient India’s acceptance & accommodation of many forms of eroticism within its culture,including homo eroticism is well documented in early Sanskrit writings/art/architecture. This makes modern-day India’s sexual puritanism & homophobia, all the more astounding. 1.Western group of temples at Khajuraho is known for the architecture & erotic sculpting. There are references to homosexuality. Examples : sculptures in exterior of Kandariya Mahadeva & Lakshmana temples (pictures 1 & 2) 2. The “Markandeya Purana” carries the story of Avikshita, the son of a king who refused to marry because he believed he was a woman. 3(a) There is a folk story of Rajasthan abt 2 women Teeja & Beeja . According to Vijaidan Detha, Teeja & Bee...

Western education is closely related with the coming of the British to India. It led to   spread of western education in India.   Christians opened the first Anglo-Vernacular School for the youths of other faiths. English education helped the Indian elites to get the idea of western liberalism and got inspired through the readings of the histories of an American war of independence, French Revolution.   English language also served as a lingua franca for the educated Indians.   Christianity and western education   contributed in a way for the rise of nationalism.   Indian Christians responded to the calls of national movement through their various Christian organizations.   The first Christian organization which played a role in the national movement was the Bengal Christian Association, founded in 1878 by a group of Christians in Calcutta. The President of this Association was Krishna Mohan Banerjee and an one of its active members was KC Ban...