Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing a gathering in Haridwar, condemned Thomas Babington Macaulay's influence on Indian education, alleging that Macaulay's mission was to dismantle the traditional education system and mentally subjugate Indians. Singh stressed the need to rejuvenate 'gurukuls' to counteract Macaulay's impact, proposing a fusion of traditional teaching with modern technologies like AI and quantum tech.

Singh cited Macaulay's disregard for India's rich cultural and literary heritage, highlighting the British official's infamous comparison, deeming a European library's cupboard more valuable than India's entire literary legacy, encompassing the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Gita.

He criticized the education system introduced by Macaulay, blaming it for instilling generations of Indians with a sense of inferiority regarding their own culture and traditions. Singh praised the efforts of figures like Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and Swami Darshananand, who established 'gurukuls' to revive India's traditional education and restore its eminence.

Singh commended Yoga Guru Ramdev for popularizing yoga globally and emphasized the importance of reviving Sanskrit, a scientific language with dwindling proficiency. He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives, citing the upcoming consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a testament to India shedding its 'slave mentality'.

Additionally, other political figures present at the event, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, highlighted India's reclamation of its cultural pride and traditions under PM Modi's leadership, praising efforts to replace the inherited penal code with an indigenous system of justice.