Rajasthan University in June included in its syllabus a book claiming Maharana Pratap defeated emperor Akbar in the Battle of Haldighati, the Maharashtra education board has reduced the Mughal emperor’s reign to just three lines.
Now the Maharshtra Education Board has revised history textbooks for classes VII and IX, removing all traces of the Mughal rule and the monuments built during that period, instead focusing on the Maratha Empire founded by Shivaji.
History syllabus books had till now depicted Akbar “liberal and tolerant administrator,” will now be termed a king that “tried to bring India under a central authority” and faced opposition from Hindu kings like Maharana Pratap.
Chattarpati Shivaji, referred to as ‘people’s king,’ will now be mentioned as ‘an ideal ruler.’ Shivaji’s role in medieval history, and that of his family and the Maratha generals, have been expanded.
The new edition for class VII history book has also seen the elimination of Muslim rulers in the country before the Mughal period, including Razia Sultana and Muhammad bin Tughlaq. There is also no trace of the rupaya – first introduced as currency by the Afghan invaders. The revised textbook for class IX, on the other hand, includes the Bofors scam and the Emergency of 1975-1977.
Razia Sultana – the first woman to rule Delhi – finds no mention in the revised textbooks. Another notable omission includes the reign of Sher Shah Suri, who had forced Humayun to flee from India
Bapusaheb Shinde – a member of the history subject committees for old and revised textbooks – claimed that the need to revise the syllabus was felt in order to update history with modern events. According to Mumbai Mirror, Shinde had said last year that “Mughal history has been reduced. Modern history needs to be incorporated.”
The revision of the syllabus was discussed at a meeting held at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini – a think-tank promoted by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS )– by Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde.
Raising objections about the cover of the new medieval history textbook for class VII, Kishore Darak,a Pune-based independent researcher in curriculum and textbooks, told Mumbai Mirror that the cover was “problematic” for it “displays saffron flags all over the map of the country,” hence creating an image that the “Hindu samrajya existed in India during that period.”
“This is factually incorrect and reeks of political agenda.”
Justifying the move as one in the interest of students of the state, Sadanand More, chairman of the history subject committee of the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research, said: “We have looked at history from a Maharashtra-centric point of view. Even if it is the Delhi Sultanate or the Mughal rule and the medieval history of India, we have kept Maharashtra at the centre. It is a natural course as we are from Maharashtra.What’s wrong in that? In fact the central board books have very little about our state.”
With the Centre last week approving the UP government’s proposal to rename Mughalsarai station after Jan Sangh leader Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and in August 2015 renaming Aurangzeb Road in Delhi as Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Road.
Source:Mumbai Mirror &The Wire
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this a step in the right direction.
None of the Muslim rulers were kind, tolerant or peaceful.
their names should be removed from the cities and roads of India, that is Bharat.
No one can deny that Mogul rule was the lowest point in Indian history and names of cities like Ahmedabad or Ahmadabad should be changed to its original name of Karnavati. But history can not be rewritten on sentiments but on truth, reality and to point out where Bharat went wrong. No one could have conquered or ruled India without inside help, our own kings helping invaders, betraying their fellows kings for a piece of crumbs. That is how Alexander the Great defeated King Poros on the verge of victory when king of Taxsila defected and attacked Poros from behind. Mansinh commanded Akbar’s army and his sister Jodhabhai was married or rather was in his harem. Likewise Shivaji was betrayed by Mansinh who delivered Shivaji and his son in chains to Akbar. Unfortunately even today India is not short of such traitors. That is why it took so long for BJP to come to power.Let us hope this new found patriotism will take India to new height.
WE should learn from our past mistakes and remind ourselves how to live together at all times.Simply removing the history will not do much but it is essential to rewrite history.
History is written by the Victors however the liberated have no reason to keep it as the whole idea of independence is to wring oneself out of the oppressors and rewrite the heroics of those who sacrificed for the cause. In the lands which Alexander The Great conquered especially in Central Asia not everyone was in the awe of him in the same way Hitler wouldn’t be written about in good light in German school curriculum. When I grew up I hated to keep reading about the Moguls and having been to places like Taj Mahal or Fatehpur Sikri one gets notion of their absolute power wielding to covert masses of Hindus into Islam legacy of which is still hurting India. So well done Maharashtra and Rajasthan to bring back semblance of pride into our youngsters