‘Throw Tipu In Sea’: Himanta Backs NCERT’s Reported Plan To Drop ‘Great’ From Akbar, Tipu Sultan | India News

Last Updated:November 23, 2025, 10:10 IST

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma praised NCERT for reportedly dropping ‘great’ from names of Akbar and Tipu Sultan in textbooks

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (PTI Photo)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday extended his support to the National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) reported plan of dropping the epithet “great” from the names of Mughal emperor Akbar and Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan in the school history textbooks.

Sarma, while speaking to news agency ANI in Assam’s Bongaigaon, reacted to the reports and said, “very well done”. However, he added that he is not sure if the changes have been inculcated in the books.

“I have not seen whether they have done this. If they have done this, then many thanks to the NCERT from my side,” Sarma said.

The chief minister then went on to say, “Tipu-Ipu ko maro ekdum. Jahan bhejna hai, udhar hi bhej do. Samundar mein phek do” (Beat up that Tipu. Send him wherever you want. Throw him into the sea).

The remarks were made by Sarma, a day after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Sunil Ambekar stated that some changes have been made by the NCERT in history textbooks and that they won’t use ‘the great’ epithet with the names of Mughal emperor Akbar or Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan anymore.

“I could see that many good changes have been brought in the history books, and more could be done in the future. But now, they (history textbooks) do not have ‘Akbar the Great’, nor do they have ‘Tipu Sultan the Great’. Many changes have been brought, although nobody has been removed from these books as the new generation should know their cruel deeds and should also know because of whom we were victimised and from whom we should be free,” Ambekar said at the Orange City Literature festival in Kanpur on Friday, as reported by news agency PTI.

However, the reported move of NCERT was not welcomed by Congress leaders, who asked what would be achieved by such measures.

“They ruled the country for 700 years. They didn’t rule for just a day or two… You removed their names, but what will the removal or addition achieve?… During their rule, GDP was 27 per cent. India was also called the golden bird. They came here and perished here. The last emperor got beheaded, but he did not accept British slavery. He saw his sons’ heads adorned on a platter. But he wouldn’t accept slavery,” Congress MP Imran Masood said, adding that those who “knelt before the British” were now “enjoying themselves in the present government”.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh attacked the BJP and RSS over the issue and claimed that they won’t get happiness till a controversy is created between Hindus and Muslims.

“We are not surprised by this because the BJP and the Sangh will not get happiness until it creates controversy between Hindus and Muslims,” he said.

Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact storytelling…Read More

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact storytelling… Read More

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