Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar announced on Sunday that Mughal emperor Akbar will no longer be taught as a revered figure in schools. Speaking at the 28th state-level “Bhama Shah Samman Samaroh” at Udaipur’s Sukhadia University, Dilawar criticized Akbar for allegedly plundering the country and stated that future educational content would not depict him as a ‘great personality.’
Key Points from the Announcement:
- Criticism of Akbar: Dilawar condemned Akbar’s legacy, referring to him as someone who exploited the country and asserting that he should not be praised as a great figure in educational material.
- Focus on Maharana Pratap: The minister emphasized that Maharana Pratap, who fought for the honor and dignity of Mewar, was never accorded the greatness he deserved. He argued that Pratap’s contributions should be highlighted over those of Akbar.
- Textbook Revisions: Earlier this year, Dilawar had called for removing references to Akbar as a “great personality” from textbooks. He also criticized the portrayal of historical figures such as Veer Savarkar and Shivaji, arguing that the current content misrepresents their contributions and misleads students.
- Educational Duty and Funding: Dilawar underscored the importance of using funds contributed by Bhama Shahs appropriately and praised Rajasthan’s tradition of support from such figures. He recalled Bhama Shah’s significant donation to Maharana Pratap during his time in the forests.
- Legacy of Bhama Shah and Other Leaders: Dilawar celebrated Rajasthan’s rich history of sacrifice, heroism, and contributions from figures like Maharana Pratap, Bhama Shah, and tribal leader Govind Guru.
The proposed changes reflect a broader initiative to align educational content with a particular historical perspective and emphasize regional heroes over historical figures from other periods.
