MITWPU’s School of Government (MITSOG) has announced launching of a year-long campaign programme – Overcoming the Colonial Mindset in the Amrut Mahotsavi Varsh. They also organised the first national conclave of this campaign programme on Wednesday along with a poster exhibition at the MITWPU campus.

Dr. Subramaniam Swamy, member, Rajya Sabha and former minister, N Gopalswamy, former chief election commissioner of India, Dr. Lalit Bhasin, eminent lawyer, New Delhi, Vivek Velankar, RTI Activist,  Advt. Poornima Advani, former chairperson, National Women’s Commission of India and others addressed the conclave.

The objective of this campaign was to focus on the Indian perspective or Bharat Ki Baat to reclaim the Indian narrative in this Amrut-Mahotsavi year (2021-22).  Bhartiyatva refers to a free, unchained and untamed Bharat. While India has been a source of wisdom to the world, the British attempted to create an impression that they were benevolent enough to ensure independence to Indians. In reality however, the Indians were neither dependent on the British rulers nor had they accepted them as legitimate rulers of Bharat. The Indian Independence Act, 1947 mentions that the British colonial rule over the Indian sub-continent would end on August 15, 1947. It was the act of withdrawal of foreign rule that happened as the realization donned upon the British that they had failed to enslave the minds and aspirations of millions of Indians.

Rahul V Karad, educationist and founder of MITSOG and executive president, MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) said, “The British act of withdrawing themselves from India was a response to the gutsy resolve of Indians to practice Purna Swaraj for themselves.”

Karad further emphasized, “Indians always wanted to take into their own hands the reins of governance from the foreign rulers to choose their own path of development and to show to the entire world the light of peace, empathy, tolerance, co-existence and cooperation. For the leading lights of India, who stood up and led the masses against the British rule, 15th August 1947 was a moment of new opportunity to fulfil India’s destined role in the world.”  

On the eve of this Amrut-Mahotsavi year of the British rulers’ departure from the Indian sub-continent, the campaign urges all Indians to resolve to revive the spirit of ‘Bharat’, which has always been Swatantra in its spirit, thought and actions. It is time to demonstrate the indomitable force of Bharatiyatva to unshackle the remains of colonial thinking and practices from everyday lives of all Indians.

Dr. N T Rao, vice-chancellor of MITWPU, Dr. R. M. Chitnis, pro-VC, MITWPU, Dr. Prashant Dave , registrar of MITWPU, Ravindranath Patil, senior director at MITWPU’s School of Public Policy and Dr. S S Haridas, associate director at the MIT School of Government were present in the Press Conference. 

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