Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Amid a raging debate over the inclusion of RSS linked books in the Madhya Pradesh college curriculum, state Higher Education Minister Dr. Inder Singh Parmar has courted a controversy saying that America was not discovered by Columbus, by Indian traders”.
“America was not discovered by Columbus, but America already existed. Before Columbus, in the 11th century, Indian traders used to go there for trade and built the Sun Temple there,” Parmar said while talking to reporters at a function on Saturday.
The Higher Education Minister said that Columbus was an Italian trader “and hence wrong history has been taught by Italian people”.
“Now Madhya Pradesh government will teach the correct Indian knowledge tradition to the students. That is why good books written on the Indian knowledge tradition will be kept in the university libraries of Madhya Pradesh,” he said. On the objection of Congress leaders over the inclusion of RSS linked books in the college curriculum, the Higher Education Minister said that “if correct history is taught to the students, then why does Rahul Gandhi or any other Congress leader have an objection to it?”
A debate has raged in Madhya Pradesh over the inclusion of 188 books of writers associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the libraries of various universities of Madhya Pradesh. This list was released recently by the Higher Education Department. Congress leaders had fiercely targeted the BJP regarding the move. Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said that the Madhya Pradesh government has decided that “books that enhance the Indian knowledge tradition should be included in the library”.
“Till now many misconceptions have been created through books, but now the Indian knowledge tradition and philosophy will be presented to the students in the right perspective and with the right facts,” he said.
