Sir, Mr K.N. Panikkar's article Shourie is wrong (July 7) on
the pretext of replying to Mr Shourie's Fabrication on the
way to the funeral, was an absolute farce. Mr Shourie has
levelled several serious charges, characteristically
reinforced by irrefutable facts against Leftist historians,
including Mr Panikkar by naming them in the course of his
acerbic write-up. The false alarm raised by them about the
so-called amendment to the ICHR's memorandum of
association and Mr Panikkar's equally deceptive allegations
about cutting down the objectives of the council have all
been disproved by Mr Shourie with ample testimony.
Instead of admitting his folly, Mr Panikkar has tried to
create the usual smokescreen of communalism to make a
cowardly escape. I was shocked to learn about the
treacherous role Leftist historians played in the Ayodhya
issue from Mr Shourie's article. Does Mr Panikkar have an
answer for the horrible betrayal that subsequently plunged
the country into communal hatred? What about accusations
of nepotism, royalties from translations and foreign jaunts?
Does he have any answers for these things that he and his
ilk are said to be carrying out in the name of history and
research at ICHR?