KCHR chairman and Marxist Historian Prof. K.N.Panikkar opposes P.J.Cherian's move to identify Pattanam as St' Thomas site. In an interview given to Frontline (April 2010, Vol 27, Issue 08) Prof. Panikkar said
"I think those are legends and we should keep them as they are. People talk about them as if they are real, without any evidence for it. It is as if you construct a history and then bring in things to try and support it. We need to subject such things to scrutiny. In India legends have not been subjected to serious analytical work, as in many other countries". He was replying to The government’s new Muziris Heritage Project that thrive on such myths and legends, including those relating to the legend on the coming of St' Thomas and Christianity into Kerala.But Prof Panikkar, it seems is helpless since the project has been primarily launched by Dr. T.M.Thomas Issac , former CPM minister and P.J.Cherian for declaring it an apostoloic site and gain Heritage status from UNESCO.
"I think those are legends and we should keep them as they are. People talk about them as if they are real, without any evidence for it. It is as if you construct a history and then bring in things to try and support it. We need to subject such things to scrutiny. In India legends have not been subjected to serious analytical work, as in many other countries". He was replying to The government’s new Muziris Heritage Project that thrive on such myths and legends, including those relating to the legend on the coming of St' Thomas and Christianity into Kerala.But Prof Panikkar, it seems is helpless since the project has been primarily launched by Dr. T.M.Thomas Issac , former CPM minister and P.J.Cherian for declaring it an apostoloic site and gain Heritage status from UNESCO.
Poor prof. K.N.Panikkar is a scapegoat of the powerful christian communal lobby in CPM. He can only weep and keep mum.Panikkar seems to have understood the meaning of secularism withn a strong communal fencing.
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