New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Communist historians and erstwhile Congress governments did not give any space to many freedom fighters in history textbooks for years as their contribution to India's freedom struggle was "inconvenient truth" for them, BJP leader B L Santhosh said on Friday.

But, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative, people are slowly getting to know about such unsung heroes and what was once “inconvenient truth” for a section of the intelligentsia, he said.

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"Such fortunate times we are living in today...Truth can not be buried for eternity,” the BJP general secretary (organisation) added.

Santhosh was addressing an event organised here to mark ‘Hul Divas', the great uprising of Santhal tribe against the Britishers. Four siblings -- Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand and Bahirav -- had started the uprising against the colonial rule on June 30, 1855.

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"Many of us, including me, did not know much about Hul Divas before we came to attend this event,” Santhosh said.

One chapter on the ‘Hul Divas' should be incorporated in history textbooks and taught “in every school in every part of this country,” he added.

The BJP leader said there are many historic personalities and events that did not get any space in history textbooks for many years after Independence.

"I am not saying all that we were taught was a lie, untrue, false. But, they were indeed convenient truths that's why they were made part of the history. By teaching them, they (Congress) were going to be befitted. After reading them, generation after generation were going to rally behind them,” Santhosh said.

“But there were many other truths which were inconvenient for them for their purpose, discussions, narrative, political future, principles' future. The biggest among them was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,” he claimed.

The BJP leader said Netaji got space in history even though he was an “inconvenient truth” for the communist historians and for those in power then, but there were many others who were left out as “they would have shrunk the space given to someone”.

"I don't want to go further into it to make it more political...,” he added.

“Today we are coming to know about Hul Divas, Hul Johar. Those who participated and spearheaded the Hul were so successful. On this Ajadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the prime minister said that stories about unsung heroes should also be told,” he said.

“Slowly we are learning, listening and studying today and the inconvenient truth of a section of the intelligentsia is also coming to the knowledge of everybody. Such a fortunate times we are in today,” he added.

He said the Santhal's ‘Hul' was the first uprising in Santhal Pargana against the Britishers but historians "incorrectly" noted their struggle was against the landlords.

"If it was a quarrel between tenants and landlords, why did the Britishers kill 15,000 people?” he asked.

The BJP leader said there are many unsung heroes, including tribals of northeast states, who had also participated in the freedom struggle and given a strong resistance to the Britishers.

"Freedom struggle was not limited to some dharna only," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)