NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday backed NCERT’s alleged move to drop the word “Great” from the names of Mughal emperor Akbar and Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan in school history textbooks. Speaking at an event in Bongaigaon, he said, “Tipu-Ipu ko maro ekdum. Jahan bhejna hai, udhar hi bhej do. Samundar mein phek do” (Beat up that Tipu. Send him wherever you want to. Throw him in the sea.)Sarma said he had not personally seen the revised textbooks, but if NCERT had made these changes, he welcomed them. A day earlier, RSS leader Sunil Ambekar had claimed that titles like “Akbar the Great” and “Tipu Sultan the Great” had been removed from the books, while stressing that no historical figure had been taken out. The alleged move by NCERT triggered quick political reactions. Congress MP Imran Masood criticised the change, saying it was an attempt to rewrite history and ignore the contributions of rulers who shaped the subcontinent over centuries. He argued that removing titles or names would not change historical facts and pointed to India’s prosperity during parts of their rule. “They ruled the country for 700 years. They didn’t rule for just a day or two. You removed their names, but what will the removal or addition achieve? During their rule, GDP was 27 per cent. India was also called the golden bird. They came here and perished here. The last emperor was beheaded, but he did not accept British slavery. He saw his sons’ heads adorned on a platter. But he wouldn’t accept slavery,” the Congress MP said.Masood also said those who had “bowed before the British” were now in power, and questioned why descendants of people who “betrayed Rani Lakshmibai” held ministerial posts.Congress leader K Muraleedharan also said the decision to drop the word “Great” from Akbar and Tipu Sultan was unfair. He said Akbar promoted communal harmony and gave Hindus freedom in his rule, while Tipu Sultan fought the British and died because of it. Supporting the revision, VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said past textbooks had “distorted” history. He questioned calling Akbar “great” and said such glorification of Mughal rulers was unacceptable. “How can Akbar be great when Maharana Pratap is great? Are Akbar’s misdeeds hidden from anyone? The glorification of Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Aurangzeb cannot be allowed on the sacred land of Maharana Pratap,” he said, thanking NCERT for the correction.
