Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the 2-day international seminar on Thursday on the role and relevance of famous ruler of Gupta Dynasty, Skandagupta Vikramaditya at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey were also present on the occasion.

A large number of historians, scholars and political thinkers from India and abroad are deliberating upon the issue during the seminar.

Bharatiya Janata Party president and Union Home minister Amit Shah on Thursday observed that the history of the country needs to be rewritten from India’s point of view. Addressing an event in Varanasi, Shah praised Veer Savarkar, saying the latter was the first to consider 1857 revolt as India’s first war of independence.

His comments came two days after BJP’s Maharashtra unit in its manifesto said it would propose to confer Bharat Ratna upon Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar, that led to criticism from Oppoistion parties.

After innuagurating a two-day international seminar in Varanasi on ‘Guptvanshak-Veer: Skandgupta Vikramaditya’ at the Banaras Hindu University, the BJP president said, “It was Savarkar who gave the name ‘First War of Independence’ to the 1857 ‘kranti’ otherwise our children would have known it as a revolt.”

Shah, while referring to eminent historians who were sitting on the dais at the event, observed that there is a need to rewrite the history of the country from India’s point of view which should be without blaming anybody

“It is our responsibility to write our history. How long are we going to blame the British? We don’t have to dispute anyone, only write what is truth and it will stand the test of time,” Shah said further.

Speaking about Skandgupta Vikramaditya , the Home minister regretted that the current generation was was not aware of the contributions of the emperor due to of lack of documents.

Shah also heaped praise upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making India regain respect in the world.