India

US Historian's Hyderabad Event Cancelled; She Blames Right-Wing Outfits

Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Aug, 2018 01:15 PM

Historian Audrey Truschke's talk in Hyderabad scheduled for Saturday was cancelled, with the American author claiming that right-wing outfits were behind the cancellation.

A representative of Krishnakriti Foundation, one of the organisers of the event, confirmed that the lecture titled "Unpopular Stories: Narrating the Indo-Islamic Past and Navigating Present-day Prejudices" was cancelled but did not elaborate.

"I deeply regret that my presentation and the subsequent exchange of ideas will not occur.

"Today is a sad day for the pursuit of knowledge and academic freedom, and it is a happy day for proponents of the Hindu Rashtra," Ms Truschke wrote in a Facebook post.

The assistant professor at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, tweeted that her lecture in Hyderabad was cancelled.

"The subject of 'Unpopular Stories', proved a bit too true, perhaps, when the Hindu Right protested to the police."

"The revised schedule is that I will not visit Hyderabad on this trip to India, regretfully," she said in another tweet.

In the Facebook post, Ms Truschke claimed the organisers took this decision after being informed by the Hyderabad Police that several individuals had written letters protesting her appearance.

"I saw only one such letter, and it was from an individual with self-admitted connections to the RSS, BJP and BJPM," Ms Truschke claimed.

I spoke in Delhi this evening on Aurangzeb to a packed house of a few hundred people. The questions were great - So many people were curious about different aspects of Aurangzeb's reign. It was incredible.#Aurangzeb #India #Delhi #History
— Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) August 9, 2018

#HowHistoriansThink -

When you cannot make sense of established facts about the past, the problem is not with the facts but rather with your analysis. You need a new framework in order to explain the complicated actions of premodern Indian kings.#history #Aurangzeb #Mughal https://t.co/1sk6q3DFOD
— Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) August 9, 2018

The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir both protected and destroyed Hindu and Jain temples. If you want more details about which temples, why, and how a historian makes sense of this complicated--seemingly contradictory--set of policies, well, I literally wrote a book.#Aurangzeb pic.twitter.com/wuD9HtlRtW
— Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) August 9, 2018

A background check revealed I am controversial.

A background check would also show -
I hold a PhD
I am a professor
I am a well published on the subjects on which I planned to speak

What credentials do you think should be relevant for a scholar to speak?https://t.co/4lgeG5LMS4
— Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) August 9, 2018

She said she was to speak on several areas of her academic research, including Mughal history and Sanskrit literature.

Ms Truschke said she was especially looking forward to talking with Hyderabad citizens about 'Aurangzeb's brutal assaults' on sultanates in the Deccan in the 1680s and debates concerning what brought about the end of Indian Buddhism in the early second millennium CE.

However, a senior police official told PTI they had not asked the organisers to cancel the event.

"We have not withdrawn permission nor asked them to cancel the event, they themselves took the decision," the official added

Prev Next

MORE India ARTICLES

Navy Officer Abhilash Tomy To Participate In Golden Globe Race

Earlier this month, Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Navy put out a message on Facebook announcing his profile will go "silent" beginning July 1.

Navy Officer Abhilash Tomy To Participate In Golden Globe Race

PICS: PM Modi, Nikki Haley Discuss India-US Counter-Terrorism Cooperation

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who is currently on a three-day visit to India, on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries, including on counter-terrorism.

PICS: PM Modi, Nikki Haley Discuss India-US Counter-Terrorism Cooperation

US Committed To End Child Trafficking: Nikki Haley During India Visit

Nikki Haley, who is on a two-day visit to India, met Mr Satyarthi at the 'Mukti Ashram', a short-term rehabilitation home for rescued children in New Delhi to discuss children's rights, human rights and security matters, according to a statement by Kailash Satyarthi's office.

US Committed To End Child Trafficking: Nikki Haley During India Visit

Minor Girl Alleges Gangrape In Manali; 3 Arrested From Bathinda

While three of the accused are residents of Bathinda in Punjab and have been arrested, hunt is on for two locals, natives of Banjar in Kullu district.

Minor Girl Alleges Gangrape In Manali; 3 Arrested From Bathinda

India-American Rights Bodies Resists Trump’s Travel Ban

Top Indian-American lawmaker and right bodies have described as “troubling” the US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries and vowed to resist the “hatred”.

India-American Rights Bodies Resists Trump’s Travel Ban

Amarinder Singh To Hand Cheques Of State's Share To 40 Sikh Detainees In Jodhpur

The troubled Jodhpur detainees are set to get much-needed relief, with Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh deciding to hand over cheques of the state’s share of the Rs 4.5-crore compensation to them on Thursday.