Vikas, you say:The incursions of Ghazni, Ghor, Timurlane, the lesser known desecration of temples by Tughlaq, Khilji and Aibak, the Jizya tax, the systematic execution of the Sikh Gurus etc plunged the psyche of India into a deep tamas. And as Sri Aurobindo also said: "....It (India) has suffered much at the hands of inferior civilisations and more savage peoples;.." He was not just referring to the British! It has become very fashionable to deny that India suffered at the hands of islamic invaders! A few "liberal" academics (some from India like Romila Thapar and others from the US) want us to believe otherwise inspite of all the evidence that exists. Interestingly, the same individuals also go to great lengths to explain away the actions of todays islamists. Anyone who opposes these scholars through their own writings is tagged as conservative and/or Hindutva proponent!!! Those who know the field know the frightening dimensions this threat has grown into. Once, I had a long exchange with Carlson on this. His refusal to accept that any atrocities took place (and irrationally cites Sri Aurobindo's praise of the Mughal empire as one reason) and other similar attitudes towards India is one of many reasons why I think he lacks credibility over the Heehs affair where too he sees the hidden hand of Hindutva everywhere - it's a dark obsession with him!