Dr. Ruchika Sharma, a historian and public figure, has raised serious concerns about the recent changes made in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) history textbooks. She said that many facts about the Mughal period have been changed or removed, and the textbooks are showing this era in a very negative way. She shared her views during a TV debate on Aajtak and also said she will file a Right to Information (RTI) request to ask where NCERT got their information from.

Dr. Sharma is a medieval historian who did her PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She often speaks in public about history and how it is being shown in school books. She also runs a YouTube channel named "Eyeshadow & Etihaas," where she talks about history while doing makeup tutorials.

"A lot of what has been written is simply false"

During the Aajtak debate, Dr. Sharma said, "I have two major issues with the recent changes. First and foremost, a lot of what has been written is simply false, and I can point out the facts to prove it. Second, the portrayal of history is incomplete in many places."
She also said it is not right to call any historical period a "dark period" and that there are clear mistakes in the way different rulers are being judged.

She gave the example of jizya, a tax on non-Muslims during the Mughal rule. Sharma said that Akbar removed this tax in the early years of his rule, not after gaining full power. "Since the topic of jizya is being widely discussed, let me clarify—this idea that Akbar abolished jizya only after establishing his rule is completely incorrect. Akbar’s reign began in 1560, and he abolished jizya in 1562. At that point, he was still a very young ruler and had not yet consolidated his empire. Despite that, he made this important decision early in his reign. This action is clearly mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari, where it is stated that jizya was a tax based on religious discrimination, and therefore, abolishing it was necessary. This is a very important historical fact, but NCERT is not teaching this," she said.

Dr. Sharma also questioned NCERT’s explanation that jizya was used to force non-Muslims to convert to Islam. "Jizya was imposed to create pressure on non-Muslims to convert to Islam so they wouldn’t have to pay the tax. If NCERT is presenting this claim, I would like to file an RTI asking for the source. Where exactly is it written that, ever since jizya was introduced in the Islamic world, it served as an incentive for conversion? Where is this idea coming from? I want to know the source they are using to make such a claim."

BJP reacts to history debate

The issue has sparked political reactions as well. Amit Malviya, who handles the BJP’s IT cell, posted on social media platform X:
"Comparing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Mughal tyrants is not only a historical distortion but also a grave insult to the nation. There is no historical evidence of Shivaji Maharaj looting or plundering Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (Maharaja of Mysore, 1673–1704)."

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