The Indian Consulate in Canada is drawing flak from social media users for enlisting controversial ‘historians’ such as Devdutt Patnaik and William Dalrymple for three-day JLF Toronto Literary fest to be held on November 27, 28 and 29.
A tweet about the details of the sessions conducted by various personalities was shared by the official Twitter account of the Consulate General of India to Canada. Pattanaik is scheduled to speak on “Mahabharata: Adapting Ancient Myth for Modern Theatre” on November 29.
“Experience conversations between some of the greatest authors, poets, historians, journalists of our time on @JLFLitfest from Nov 27-29,” the tweet said.
Experience conversations between some of the greatest authors, poets, historians, journalists of our time on @JLFLitfest from Nov 27-29. More on https://t.co/CDXDi6eyE5. @_apoorvasri @HCI_Ottawa @Ajaybis @DalrympleWill @SanjoyRoyTWA @NamitaGokhale_ @IndianDiplomacy @CanadainIndia pic.twitter.com/8abt7ca6m6
— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) November 19, 2020
Furious netizens express their disapproval over litfest invitation to abusive ‘historian’ Devdutt Pattanaik
However, soon after the tweet was posted, scores of furious netizens took to Twitter to call out the Indian Consulate in Canada for providing a platform to individuals like Devdutt Pattanaik, who has a history of abusing people on social media websites for having views at variance with his beliefs and is often found concocting lies.
One of the Twitter user replied that Devdutt was one of the most abusive ‘expert’ she had interacted with. She added that Patnaik made her sick and condemned the Indian Consulate in Canada for providing a platform to someone who uses despicable language for women.
Devdutt is one of the most abusive ‘expert’ I have ever interacted. The language he uses for women is despicable. Shameful that he is given the platform. He makes me sick
— Smita Deshmukh (@smitadeshmukh) November 21, 2020
“Shame on you for calling this @devduttmyth as a speaker this abuser is a disgrace to be called as author even,” said another Twitter user.
Shame as you calling this @devduttmyth as a speaker this abuser is a disgrace to be called as author even
— Akku🔥♥️🇮🇳 (@akku_akku18) November 21, 2020
One Twitter user responded to the tweet put by the Indian Consulate in Canada by sharing an instance when Devdutt Pattanaik had posted an abusively nasty tweet to a social media user.
Hello this for u pic.twitter.com/t6iL6JS2OV
— Rudraa (@Haryanviiiii) November 21, 2020
Twitter users wondered whether Indian government considers the Mahabharata to be a myth, because that is what “Anti Hindu Mythologist like Devdutt” thinks.
The general consensus on social media is that Devdutt Pattanaik is anti-Hindu, serial abuser, mis‑interpreter of Hindu texts, and slammed the officials of the ministry for inviting him to the JLF Toronto Litfest.
Devdutt Pattanaik-A fountain head of abuses, distortions and lies
Devdutt Pattanaik has a chequered history of abusing people who do not conform to his worldview. There have been myriad instances when the so-called historian has resorted to crass remarks and vile abuses on social media websites. Pattanaik had also made fake assertions about the Citizenship Amendment Act and routinely indulges in ridiculing and abusing Hindus and Hindutva. Because of his chronically abusive behaviour and anti-Hindu antecedents, social media users have expressed their displeasure for having him invited for an event sponsored by the Indian government.
According to Nityanand Misra, an IIM graduate working in the finance industry, the self-proclaimed mythologist’s writing is not based on stories in Hindu Puranas. He also reveals that the author might be misinterpreting Sanskrit words.
Nityanand claims that Devdutt has been inventing his own stories and selling them as Hindu mythology. In addition to this, Misra says that the Pattanaik has a special hatred for Brahmins and doesn’t accept genuine criticism of his work.
Invitation to historian William Dalrymple to an Indian government program draws netizens’ ire
Besides Pattnaik, the invitation extended to another controversial figure, historian William Dalrymple, by the Indian government for JLF Toronto Litfest had drawn the ire of netizens on the social media websites. Several of them wondered as to why an “India hater and breaker” such as William Dalrymple, who also opposed the abolition of Article 370 and CAA was invited in a government-sponsored program.
Seriously abusive Devdutt & India hater & breaker Dalrymple?? @narendramodi @AmitShah @DrSJaishankar what is happening in @MEAIndia? @PMOIndia will be held responsible for this hypocrisy of inviting ppl who oppose 370 & CAA in same govt sponsored program.
— Sri (@digital_sri) November 21, 2020
Many other social media users were so miffed with the Indian Consulate in Canada’s decision to have Devdutt Patnaik and William Dalrymple as speakers in their organised event that they started tagging External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to express their disapproval for inviting the abusive ‘historian’ to speak on Hindu epic of Mahabharata.
Experience conversations between some of the greatest authors, poets, historians, journalists of our time on @JLFLitfest from Nov 27-29. More on https://t.co/CDXDi6eyE5. @_apoorvasri @HCI_Ottawa @Ajaybis @DalrympleWill @SanjoyRoyTWA @NamitaGokhale_ @IndianDiplomacy @CanadainIndia pic.twitter.com/8abt7ca6m6
— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) November 19, 2020
One social media user wondered why the Indian Consulate was providing a platform to William Dalrymple, known for halting the publication of Bloomsbury India’s book on Delhi Riots. “Does @IndiainToronto work for Indian interests or for their personal ones?” the user questioned.
Why is @IndiainToronto @MEAIndia giving platform to people who forced @BloomsburyIndia to withdraw publication of an Indian book. Does @IndiainToronto work for Indian interests or for their personal one’s?
— Rohit Koul (@Rohitkoul95) November 21, 2020
William Dalrymple credited for halting the publication of Delhi Riots 2020 book
Historian William Dalrymple is believed to have played an instrumental role in getting the Bloomsbury India to withdraw its publication of the book on Delhi riots. After publishing bouse Bloomsbury announced that it is withdrawing a book titled ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’ due to pressures from the Islamists and left-liberal lobby, Islamist Aatish Taseer had taken to Twitter to inform that Scottish historian William Dalrymple was behind the effort to prevent the book from being published.
Besides Taseer’s confession, Dalrymple himself had also tweeted about working to stop the publication of the Delhi Riots 2020 book. Responding to a request by Congress troll Saket Gokhale to somehow stop the book, Dalrymple had replied, “I’m on it. As are several other Bloomsbury authors”.
The book ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’ is authored by Monika Arora, Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra. The book, which is a factual account based on investigation and interviews conducted by the authors, was to be released in September. Bloomsbury India buckled under the pressure from the Islamists, including William Dalrymple, and withdrew the book even as the authors were attending a virtual event to launch the book.
