ICHR removes image of Bharat Mata, stops chanting of national anthem over ‘verbal objections’: Reports

On Friday (February 24), the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) put an end to the singing of the national anthem by its staffers within its campus.

This was, despite the fact it had been a daily routine at ICHR for the past 6 months. Not only that, the images of Bharat Mata and educationist Deendayal Upadhyaya were also removed from the ICHR conference room and office of member secretary Umesh Kadam.

The decision was reportedly made after receiving objections about the same. It must be mentioned that the Indian Council for Historical Research is an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Education.

While speaking to The Indian Express, a senior official informed, “The singing of the national anthem started based on a verbal order last September and stopped today, also on a verbal order. There was no written order to remove images of Bharat Mata and Upadhyaya but these were removed today from both places.”

Member Secretary Umesh Kadam added, “There was no written order (to put these images). People come and present such things and we install them at an appropriate place.”

ICHR chairman Raghuvendra Tanwar also stated, “It is true that there was no proper permission (for images and national anthem). Neither from the (Governing) Council, nor from me.”

“But I have no role in the removal of the images or stopping the national anthem. I have not visited the ICHR office since February 10. ICHR is a non-sectarian body, and we have to maintain its sanctity,” he told The Indian Express.

ICHR exhibits 50 Indian dynasties, leaves out Islamic empires

The Indian Council of Historical Research had earlier decided to not feature Islamic dynasties during an exhibition on ‘Glory of Medieval India: Manifestation of the Unexplored -Indian Dynasties, 8th-18th Centuries.’

The said exhibition was inaugurated on January 30 this year at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh. It was open to the public until February 6, 2023.

While speaking about his decision to exclude Islamic dynasties, Professor Umesh Ashok Kadam said, “Those people (Muslims) came from the Middle East and didn’t have a direct connect with Indian culture.”

“Islam and Christianity came to India during the Medieval period and uprooted civilisation and destroyed the knowledge system,” he emphasised stating that Indian history should not be defined by Mughals and Delhi Sultanate.

He also informed that he did not consider Islamic invaders as Indian dynasties. The Exhibition on Medieval Indian dynasties thus excluded invaders such as Bahmani and Adil Shahi.