Owaisi Slams NSA Doval Over ‘Avenge History’ Remark, Questions Historical Claims

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday criticised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval over his recent remarks urging India’s youth to “avenge history,” saying the NSA was “not good at history” and cautioning against invoking the past in contemporary discourse.

Owaisi was reacting to comments made by Doval at an event in New Delhi on Saturday, where the NSA said India must strengthen itself not only at its borders but also economically and socially to “avenge a painful history of attacks and subjugation.” Doval had said, “We were a progressive society. We did not attack other civilisations or their temples, but since we were not self-aware when it came to security, history taught us a lesson. Did we learn that lesson?”

Addressing a rally here on the final day of campaigning for municipal corporation elections, Owaisi contested Doval’s assertion that India did not attack other countries, citing historical accounts of the Chola dynasty’s influence in present-day Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The Hyderabad MP also questioned the idea of “avenging history,” arguing that such an approach could lead to endless cycles of blame over past events. The remarks come amid campaigning for civic body elections scheduled on January 15 in 29 cities and major towns in Maharashtra, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.