Urdu council NCPUL faces backlash for promoting Savarkar through Urdu translation
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government has come under criticism for allegedly using state-backed cultural institutions to promote Hindutva ideologues, following the publication of an Urdu translation of a book glorifying Vinayak Damodar Savarkar by the National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education.
The translated book, titled “Veer Savarkar aur Takseem Hind ka Alamiya,” is the Urdu version of “Veer Savarkar: The Man Who Could Have Prevented Partition” by Uday Mahurkar and Chirayu Pandit, originally published in 2021. The Urdu edition was launched at an event held at the Prime Minister’s Museum on Thursday.
At the launch, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal described Savarkar as a “visionary deeply sensitive to national unity and integrity,” and claimed that “had Savarkar’s ideas been implemented, the country could have been saved from disintegration,” The Observer Post reported.
The translation was done by Prof. Mazhar Asif, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. The authors stated that their work sought to present “truthful and unbiased information” and to counter “misconceptions spread by a particular political ideology,” as quoted by The Observer Post.
However, historians and academics have sharply criticised the move. Prof. Nadeem Rezavi, secretary of the Indian History Congress and a history faculty member at Aligarh Muslim University, called the development “shocking,” accusing the government of attempting to rewrite history, The Observer Post reported.
“Savarkar was among the earliest proponents of the two-nation theory, even before the Muslim League adopted it in 1940,” Rezavi said. “In his 1937 address to the Hindu Mahasabha, Savarkar declared that India was home to two nations — Hindus and Muslims — a statement that deepened communal divisions and contributed to the atmosphere leading to Partition,” according to The Observer Post.
Rezavi also pointed out that under Savarkar’s leadership, the Hindu Mahasabha formed coalition governments with the Muslim League in Sindh and Bengal during the Quit India Movement. “He even supported Travancore’s bid for independence in 1947 as a counter to a secular Indian state,” he added, as reported by The Observer Post.
A former NCPUL official also criticised the council’s decision, saying it marked a “departure from its original mandate.” “The NCPUL was established to promote Urdu language and literature, not to propagate the legacy of divisive political figures,” the official said, The Observer Post noted.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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