India’s New History Textbook Sparks Outcry Over Alleged Distortion of Islamic History
India’s New History Textbook Sparks Outcry Over Alleged Distortion of Islamic History
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Recent revisions to India’s educational curriculum have ignited a significant intellectual and religious controversy, with a new Class 8 history textbook being accused of presenting a “biased and selective” portrayal of India’s Islamic era. The textbook, titled “Reshaping the Political Map of India,” has drawn widespread condemnation for its focus on the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods predominantly through the lens of destruction and fanaticism.
Critics argue that the book largely ignores the significant civilizational, scientific, and cultural achievements of these periods, which enriched India and the world for centuries. Muslim leaders across India have expressed widespread dismay, viewing these changes as a systematic attempt to rewrite history and distort Islamic symbols under the guise of “academic reform.” Religious leaders from various faiths have also condemned what they describe as a “deliberate falsification project” targeting Islamic identity and threatening India’s social fabric.
Observers describe the revisions as a lack of historical justice and integrity. They point out that Muslim Mughals, who established universities, institutions, and mosques, and advanced arts and sciences, are now being depicted as “bloody invaders” in the official narrative. Figures like Aurangzeb and Babur, critics argue, have been stripped of their historical context and subjected to unsubstantiated accusations.
Conversely, some Sikh factions have supported the amendments, viewing them as a “revelation of truth,” which has further exacerbated sectarian divisions and raised concerns about increasing polarization within India’s multi-religious and multicultural society.
Observers warn that tampering with educational curricula in a country with India’s complex religious history and societal diversity could lead to profound consequences, threatening national cohesion and fueling cultural and sectarian conflicts.
