Rajasthan: Education Minister’s Change In Books; Says Akbar Not A “Great Personality”

In a bizarre statement, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister, Madan Dilawar, said that Akbar will not be taught in books as a ‘great personality’. He said that Mughal Emperor Akbar ruled and destroyed the country for years. He made this announcement while speaking at the 28th state-level “Bhama Shah Samman Samaroh” at the Vivekananda Auditorium of Udaipur’s Sukhadia University event.

As per the reports, Dilawar lamented the lack of representation and respect given to Maharana Pratap. He stated that Maharana Pratap sacrificed everything for the dignity of Mewar and yet is not celebrated as a ‘great personality’. 

Bhama Shah Yojana

Vasundhara Raje initiated the Bhama Shah Yojana. It aims at empowering women and making them financially independent. The yojana is named after Bhama Shah, often referred to as ‘Daani Bhama Shah’ a general, minister who gave away all his wealth to Maharana Pratap when he had to live in the forest. 

Citing the contribution Bhama Shah Yojana is making to education, Dilawar said that every penny of it must be used for the right purpose. He said that education is the highest form of duty. 

Minister’s reverence for heroes history

Minister Dilawar recalled the memories of 1997 when former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat initiated the process of seeking cooperation from Bhama Shah. He also recounted the deed of Bham Shah and celebrated it. 

He called Rajasthan the land where sacrifice, austerity, valour, and heroism lie. He concluded by saying that Rajasthan is the land of the heroism of Maharana Pratap, Bhama Shah and tribal leader Goving Guru. 

This is not the first time that Minister Dilawar has criticised the respect given to Akabar in Indian textbooks. In January, he called Akbar a “rapist” and called for the removal of the term “great personality” associated with Akbar from books throughout the Universe. 

Ha made this statement on January 30 during the discussion about changes in the curriculum of the schools after the change in the government. 

Unethical statement not allowed in books

Dilawar reportedly said that there was no need to change the syllabus. But books must not make “unethical statements or disrespect great men”. He said that a lot of misleading information has been cited in the books about great personalities of history like Veer Savarkar and Shivaji. 

He further added that books do not show Veer Savarkar as a patriot. Minister Dilawar said that Akbar has been portrayed as a great man while Shivaji as  ‘Pahadi Chuha’. Akbar’s greatness has, he said, covered the heroism of Maharana Pratap. 

Education is not a grating of politics

The idea of removing the hyperbole “great personality” before Akbar’s name is quite bizarre. As an Education Minister, he must be aware that education is not a field of politics. It is about learning every bit and page of history. It is about knowing historical personalities in the way history perceived them and also in the way the current times portray them. If in history, Akbar was hailed for his contribution, it should be taught to children. Even if he wasn’t revered as a great person, students have to study him the way history perceived him.

Education must be neutral 

The way the Education Minister is prioritising other leaders over Akbar is a personal opinion. It should not be imposed on learners or the learning materials which must be neutral. Whether favouring other Hindu leaders is a politics of religion, that is not really sure. But being an Education Minister, Dilawar should have been mindful of what he is saying. Primary and secondary-level education is not biased. It has to be neutral so that the critical thinking students develop is strong.