New Delhi: Forgetting history weakens democracy and erodes a society’s moral direction, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said on Saturday, January 17, while addressing a symposium at the World Book Fair being held at Bharat Mandapam here.
The symposium, organised by the Delhi Legislative Assembly, was held on the occasion of the release of a coffee table book titled “Shri Veer Vithal Bhai Ki Gaurav Gatha: Ek Shatabdi Yatra.”
“A society that forgets its history loses not only its future but also its moral direction. History is not merely a record of the past; it is the foundation upon which democratic institutions, public consciousness, and national character are built,” said Singh at the event.
In his address, Singh commended the Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat for reviving a “largely forgotten chapter of India’s freedom struggle through a meticulously researched and documented publication.”
Recalling the Rowlatt Act period, Singh highlighted that Veer Vithalbhai Patel introduced over 220 amendments in the Legislative Council and became the first Indian President of the Council.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta stated that the period from 1912 to 1933 constituted the most decisive phase of India’s freedom movement, culminating with the passing of Veer Vithalbhai Patel on October 22, 1933.
“Patel as a revolutionary, freedom fighter, and legislative leader who laid the institutional foundations of Indian parliamentary democracy,” Gupta said.
He further said that Vithalbhai Patel guided national leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Subhas Chandra Bose, adding that in the years to come, he would be recognised as one of the architects of India’s independence.
The symposium was attended by the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Gupta, along with academicians, historians, students, and members of the public.
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