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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is committed to reviving the historic and cultural heritage of Kashmir and that we will soon 'reclaim what has been lost.'
Shah made the statement after releasing the book 'Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh Through the Ages: A Visual Narrative of Continuities and Linkages' here in the national capital. Amit Shah firmly stated that Kashmir always has been and will continue to remain an inseparable part of India. He further stressed that no legal provision could ever sever this bond, pointing "there were attempts to separate Kashmir from India in the past but time itself has nullified those efforts." Many dignitaries including Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and Editor of the book Professor Raghuvendra Tanwar were present on the occasion. In his address, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation emphasized that the National Book Trust (NBT), through its latest publication, has effectively dismantled a long-standing myth about India by presenting facts and evidence, thereby establishing historical truths. He said that there was a myth that India was never united and the idea of independence for this country was meaningless -- a misconception that many had come to accept as truth. The Minister highlighted that while for most countries, geo-politics have defined their boundaries, India's case is unique in the way that this nation has been defined by its geo-cultural expanse, and whose borders are made up of cultural unity. Home Minister remarked that the relationship between Kashmir, Ladakh, Shaivism, and Buddhism has been eloquently captured in this book and exhibition. He commended the documentation of scripts, knowledge systems, spirituality, culture, and languages, emphasizing the meticulous effort that went into presenting this rich heritage. The Minister said the book vividly chronicles the journey of Buddhism--from Nepal to Bihar via Kashi, and onward to Afghanistan through Kashmir. He highlighted that the book also features sculptures from Drass and Ladakh, discussions and images of stupas, depictions of temple ruins destroyed by invaders, and references to the use of Sanskrit in Jammu and Kashmir, as described in Rajatarangini. Covering Kashmir's 8,000-year history, Shah likened this comprehensive effort to encapsulating the sacred Ganga within a vessel. He noted that for 150 years, some people's understanding of history was "confined to narrow geographies--from Dariba to Ballimaran or Lutyens to Gymkhana. He stressed that history cannot be written from a distance but requires engaging directly with the people and understanding their lived experiences." Shah emphasized that the time has come to move beyond history written to appease past rulers, and He urged historians to confidently document India's history using evidence, facts, and the perspective of its rich, millennia-old culture, and to present it to the world with pride. He remarked that today, India stands as an independent nation with a government committed to upholding the values and ideas rooted in its heritage. Shah highlighted that Kashmir and Ladakh have historically served as centres of civilization, fostering creation, preservation, and cultural promotion. Numerous examples of this rich legacy are detailed in the book, noting that Kashmir has always been a land of inclusivity, embracing and nurturing diverse faiths. (ANI)
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