Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar says that many wrong facts about history are taught to students in India. He said that neither Vasco da Gama discovered India, nor did he discover the sea route to India. He also said that America was not discovered by Columbus, but by our ancestors, who had been doing business there for centuries. He said these things during the convocation of Barkatullah University in Bhopal on Tuesday. During this time, the state’s Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav were also present in the auditorium.
At the ceremony, Parmar said, ‘Wrong things were taught about India’s history. We were told that Vasco da Gama discovered India. He discovered the sea route to India. But this is not true. When he came to India in 1498, he followed a Gujarati merchant from our country. Vasco da Gama told the Indian merchant with the help of an interpreter that he wanted to see India. After which the merchant named Chandan said that I am going, you should send a ship behind me.’
He said that Indians had reached America before Christopher Columbus, so I refute what people have written that Columbus discovered America. India’s records show that people here used to go to America for trade in the eighth century. The minister said, ‘Columbus went to America in 1492, but our country’s records show that we had started trading with America in the eighth century itself.’
‘We will remove the topic of Vasco da Gama from the syllabus’
When asked about revising the said fact in the syllabus in the state, Minister Parmar told ANI, “It has been axiomatic in history that Vasco da Gama did not discover India and we will remove it. India’s history existed even before Vasco da Gama created the country, so the question of discovery of India does not arise.”
‘People who arrived after Columbus committed atrocities’
During the ceremony, the Higher Education Minister said, ‘Another lie that was not required to be taught in India was that Columbus discovered America. Indian students had nothing to do with this. If it was to be taught, then it should have also been taught that after Columbus’ arrival, how the people who reached there tortured the local society and worked to destroy the tribal society there, because the society there was nature worshipper, worshipper of the Sun. How they were killed, how they were converted. But unfortunately these true facts were not taught and on the contrary, Indian students were taught that Columbus discovered America.’
‘Temples were built in San Diego state’
Parmar further said, ‘I want to say that if someone had to write, then it should have been written that the great navigator of India went there in the eighth century and he built many temples in the American state of San Diego. Facts about this are still written in a museum there, facts are still kept in the library there. If someone had to teach, then it should have been taught correctly that if someone has discovered America, then it is our ancestors, our forefathers, Columbus did not discover America and when we went there, we cooperated in the development of the culture of that place, the Mayan culture which was prevalent there, this is Indian philosophy and thinking, which needed to be taught to the students.’
He also claimed that historians have attempted to highlight India’s weaknesses instead of focusing on the country’s positive aspects. He said, ‘In the past, our country’s strengths were often neglected, with the emphasis being on highlighting the shortcomings, but we have taken a constructive step by reforming our education policy. We will continue to strive for excellence, ensuring that our educational framework presents a comprehensive and balanced portrayal of our country’s rich history, cultural heritage and values, instilling a sense of pride, unity and purpose in future generations.’
Let us tell you that according to the history taught at present, in 1492, Christopher Columbus unknowingly discovered America, while he actually wanted to reach the coast of India. On May 20, 1498, Vasco da Gama reached Kappad near Kozhikode, which was then part of the kingdom of Zamorin (Samuthiri King) of Calicut. It is believed that an Indian from Kenya helped Da Gama find the way to the subcontinent and also told him about the monsoon.
Earlier, Governor Shri Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav inaugurated the Convocation Ceremony-2024 of Barkatullah University organized at Kushabhau Thackeray Auditorium by lighting the lamp. In the program, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav announced that Barkatullah University will provide free degrees to all eligible students in future.
