History cannot be changed, but it can certainly be used by political parties to their advantage by creating a narrative based on historical grievances to divert people’s attention from the issues of the day. In the modern political arena, the ancient strategy of divide and rule is well and alive.

Politicians across the globe have perfected this tactic: use history not to encourage debate but to polarise people and distract the electorate from real-life issues. The technique is simple but quite effective: stir up emotional divisions by demonising historical ‘injustice’, create a story and avoid answering hard questions.

Polarisation, at its core, according to sociologists and political analysts, is not just about disagreement. It is about turning two sides against each other and creating an emotionally charged socio-political discourse that makes rational thought and civil debate difficult.

Such an ecosystem helps politicians to divide people and deflect attention from their failure to create thoughtful solutions and policy actions to tackle issues and problems of livelihood, education, healthcare, environment, social mobility, and economic growth.

Instead of addressing these issues that require accountability, politicians resort to feeding on the fear and insecurities of the electorate by focusing on irrelevant issues and controversies relating to history.

As people get engrossed in inconsequential controversies, anger and polarisation thrive and politicians escape scrutiny of their own actions and policies. The recent controversy over the 17th century Mughal ruler Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad is hardly a subject of any........

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