Amit Shah: India Is Defined by Culture, Not Geopolitics

By A Staff Reporter

Delhi: Speaking at the launch of the book J&K and Ladakh Through the Ages, Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivered a powerful address highlighting India’s cultural and historical identity. Shah criticized colonial-era attempts to fragment the country’s cultural unity, calling them deliberate efforts to propagate myths about India's history and its unity.

Shah stated, “The history of all corners of our country is thousands of years old where activities were done to give something to the civilizations of the world. During the time of dependence, attempts were made to make us forget this. A myth was propagated that this nation was never united and the idea of independence was redundant. A lot of people also accepted this falsehood."

The Union Home Minister further pointed out flaws in how India was defined during British rule, describing their interpretations as rooted in ignorance. “The definition of our country written in history during British rule was wrong because of their lack of knowledge,” he remarked.

He contrasted the geopolitical definitions of most nations with India's distinct identity, asserting that India is the only nation in the world that can be defined as "geo-cultural." Shah elaborated that India's boundaries are determined not by political agreements or wars but by its shared cultural ethos. “From Kashmir to Kanniyakumari, Gandhar to Odisha and Bengal to Assam, we are connected because of our culture,” he said.