• Source:JND
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Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar sparked controversy on Tuesday by labeling Mughal emperor Akbar as a “rapist, invader, and looter” during an Assembly session. His remarks, made during a discussion on the demand for grants for the state education department, were met with objections from opposition members, particularly those from the Congress party.

“It pains us to see how history has been distorted. They tried to belittle Maharana Pratap, while Akbar, who used to set up ‘meena bazaars’ and exploit women, was glorified as ‘great.’ This is an insult to our country and its great men. This cannot be tolerated,” Dilawar said. When some MLAs objected, he challenged them, asking, “Akbar aapka kya lagta hai? (Who is Akbar to you?).”

Criticism Of Historical Narratives in Textbooks

Dilawar criticised previous Congress-led governments for allegedly portraying the Mughals in a disproportionately positive light in school textbooks while ignoring or downplaying regional heroes like Maharana Pratap. He claimed that cruel rulers such as Aurangzeb and Taimur were falsely glorified while their alleged atrocities were omitted from educational materials.

“Aurangzeb killed countless Hindus, destroyed hundreds of temples, and imposed the jizya tax on Hindus. Yet, this reality was hidden from students for years,” Dilawar said. He further criticized textbooks that described Taimur as “great,” arguing that such historical misrepresentations were completely inappropriate.

Repeated Accusations Against Akbar

This is not the first time Dilawar has made such statements about Akbar. Last year, he had made similar remarks, calling Akbar not just a “rapist” but going as far as to say that taking his name in India was a “sin.”

“When we were in school, we were taught that Akbar was great. I studied the same, but I also heard that he used to set up ‘meena bazaars,’ select beautiful girls and women, and exploit them,” he stated.

Opposition Reacts Strongly

The opposition, particularly Congress MLAs, strongly objected to Dilawar’s comments, leading to disruptions in the Assembly. They accused the minister of distorting history for political gains and promoting communal tensions. However, the BJP leader continued his tirade, asserting that history should be rewritten to reflect what he called the “truth” about India’s past.