12 SOCIAL SCIENTIST vision of the future lies in the past. In order to sell the past to the present generation it is painted in attractive but false colours. As a consequence enormous damage is being done to the understanding of Indian culture and, more importantly, to the unity and integrity of the country. The past is misread to vitiate the relations between the various communities that inhabit the country. Only patient and sustained efforts of right thinking writers, researchers and educators can effectively counter the communalist attempt to drive the past as a wedge and to divide the people into warring camps,