Fundamentalism is the flip side of dogmatism. Both these attitudes harbour an intolerance of any kind of criticism or opinion that is different. By attacking the prime minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, historians and social scientists like Irfan Habib have only revealed their own dogmatism. Mr Singh made a very simple point when he said that he wanted education to be free of any kind of ideological orientation and that it should be relatively free of bureaucratic interference. This has raised the ire of some of the comrades. Mr Singh?s point is well taken. The previous dispensation, under Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, directly intervened in education at all levels ? from the writing of school textbooks to academic appointments. In the process, terrible history textbooks were written and some very incompetent people appointed to academic bodies and posts. But, if for the moment, one leaves the question of quality to one side, in principle, Mr Joshi and his band of loyalists were not doing anything different from what the left had done when it wielded influence during Nurul Hasan?s tenure as education minister, and after. The left controlled appointments and interfered at every level of academic life. It continues to do so in a state like West Bengal where it is in power. Some outstanding history textbooks were written in that period, but this begs the far more important question about why the state should involve itself in the writing of textbooks. Before accusing Mr Singh of playing into the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr Habib should pause to ponder his own predicament and that of the others of his ilk.

Mr Singh has only voiced his opinion. His opinion is somewhat at variance with what the left wants. This has led to the totally unwarranted allegation that Mr Singh is sailing too close to BJP wings. Underlying this kind of accusation is an abiding intolerance of views that are different. Men like Mr Habib are certain that they know and have arrived at some kind of truth which is beyond doubt and question. This is what can only be described by the phrase, ?left fundamentalism?. Mr Singh is too good, and too much of a liberal, to accept this kind of dogmatism.

There are far too many examples of this kind of intolerance and dogmatism in India and elsewhere for the left to feel complacent. There is a pronounced tendency among left intellectuals not to question their own intellectual and ideological assumptions. There are leading left academics who are resistant to such questioning. This is where the point about fundamentalism is relevant. It represents a mindset that is inimical to the spirit of learning and enquiry. Doubt everything, someone not hostile to the left once said.