উপনিবেশ বিরোধী চর্চা - গ্রান্ট মিল মেকলের উপমহাদেশ - ঔপনিবেশিক ভদ্রলোক বনাম ছোটলোকেদের লড়াই

সে সময়টা পলাশীর একশ বছর হতে যাচ্ছে; তার ঠিক ১১০ দশ বছর আগে ফকির-সন্ন্যাসীরা শুরু করেছিলেন সাম্রাজ্যবাদ বিরোধী লড়াই এবং ১৮৫৫ সালে সিদী-কানহো-চাঁদের নেতৃত্বে সাঁওতালেরা একশ বছর ধরে চলা অনির্বান লড়ায়ের মশাল বয়ে কোমর বেঁধে দামিনিকোহ মুক্তির জন্যে অবহেলে প্রাণ বিসর্জন দিচ্ছেন...

সে সময়টা গ্রান্ট মিল মেকলে - তিন উচ্চপদস্থ চাকুরের উপমহাদেশের অতীত পড়ে কলকাতার ভাগ্যবান উদারমনারা বড় হচ্ছেন, বিদ্যাসাগরএর মত মানুষ বড় হয়ে পড়ছেন - আর সাম্রাজ্যের ভিত্তপ্রস্তর আরও গভীরে পোঁতার জন্যে "কেবা আগে প্রাণ করিবেক দান"এর জন্যে ধুম লেগেছে লেগেছে হৃদকমলে। বিদ্যাসাগর মিলএর দর্শন পড়ানোর নিদান দিচ্ছেন...

আজও নবজাগরণ অবশ্যপুজ্য, গাঁইয়া লড়াইকে বাঁহাতে পুজো দিয়ে...

Except a few Brahmins, who consider the concealment of their learning as part of their religion, the people are totally

misled as to the system and phenomena of Nature: and their errors in this branch of science, upon which divers

important conclusions rest, may be more easily demonstrated to them, than the absurdity and falsehood of their

mythological legendsInvention seems wholly torpid among them. No acquisition in natural philosophy would so

effectively enlighten the mass of the people, as the introduction of the principles of Mechanics. Every branch of

natural philosophy might in time be introduced and diffused among the Hindoos. The communication of our light and

knowledge to them, would prove the best remedy for their disorders; and this remedy is proposed, from a full

conviction, that if judiciously and patiently applied, it would have great and happy effects upon them, effects

honourable and advantageous for us.

Charles Grant

The Surya Sidhanta is the great repository of the astronomical knowledge of the Hindus. This book is itself the most

satisfactory of all proofs of the low state of the science among the Hindus, and the rudeness of the people from whom

it proceeds. The observatory at Benares, the great seat of Hindu astronomy and learning, was found to be rude in

structure, and the instruments with which it was provided of the coarsest contrivance and construction. Exactly in

proportion as Utility is the object of every pursuit, may we regard a nation as civilized. According to this rule, the

astronomical and mathematical sciences afford conclusive evidence against the Hindus. They have been cultivated

exclusively for the purposes of astrology; one of the most irrational of all imaginable pursuits; one of those which

most infallibly denote a nation barbarous; and one of those which it is most sure to renounce, in proportion as

knowledge and civilization are attained.

James Mill, 1826

The question now before us is simply whether, when it is in our power to teach this language, we shall teach

languages in which, by universal confession, there are no books on any subject which deserve to be compared to our

own, whether, when we can teach European science we shall teach systems which, by universal confession, wherever

they differ from those of Europe differ for the worse, and whether, when we can patronize sound philosophy and true

history, we shall countenance, at the public expense, medical doctrines which would disgrace an English farrier,

astronomy which would move laughter in girls at an English boarding school

Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1835