The Narendra Modi government wants to 'cleanse' India of the 'pollution' caused by western culture, says a report in the Telegraph.

During a meeting with leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) last week, the Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma and HRD Minister Smriti Irani pledged to remove all traces of western culture from India by launching a nationwide movement.

"We will cleanse every area of public discourse that has been westernised and where Indian culture and civilisation need to be restored - be it the history we read or our cultural heritage or our institutes that have been polluted over years," Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma said.

Culture ministers of states ruled by BJP as well as cabinet ministers and PM Narendra Modi were present at the meeting, claims the Telegraph.

The culture and HRD ministries will prepare independent road maps for the proposed culture 'cleansing' exercise which will involve school curricula, art and cinema, science and technology and libraries, said the report.

"We have 39 institutions under the culture ministry, including grand museums and the National School of Drama, but we have not been up to the mark in presenting our Indian cultural heritage in a right way," said Sharma. "We will totally revamp all these institutions after a detailed roadmap is prepared."

Taking refuge in the idea that most Indians abroad do not know Sanskrit, Mahesh Sharma cited this as a source of embarrassment. It is because we do not take pride in our ancient language and it has not been part of our learning. So, is not a change required there? We have to change the mindset of people," he reportedly said.

It was also decided that various wings of the RSS would ensure better integration to implement this agenda.

Slamming the government and RSS for 'cultural policing', Pushpa Mitra Bhargava, a biologist said to the Telegraph, "I suspect this is a bid to condemn the modern and scientific temperament we have achieved and is aimed at taking us back in time where everything with modern or western influence will be banished. My biggest fear is that they will indoctrinate young impressionable minds with their mischief with the school syllabi."

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