‘Tipu-Ipu ko samundar mein phek do’: Assam CM backs NCERT’s move on Akbar, Tipu Sultan references

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on November 22 strongly backed the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) over reported changes in school textbooks, including dropping the word “Great” from Mughal emperor Akbar and removing references to Tipu Sultan in certain sections.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said he had not personally verified the updated textbooks but welcomed the move if it had indeed been implemented. “Very well done… I have not seen whether they have done this. If they have done this, then many thanks to NCERT from my side,” Sarma said.

The Assam Chief Minister, known for his outspoken views on historical narratives, went a step further and reiterated his earlier stance on revising chapters related to controversial historical figures. “Tipu–Ipu ko maro ekdum. Jahan bhejna hai, udhar hi bhej do. Samundar mein phek do,” he said, emphasising that such figures should not be glorified in school education.

Sarma has consistently argued that Indian school textbooks must reflect what he describes as “corrected historical perspectives,” aligning with his broader push for curriculum reform in the state and across the country.

While NCERT has defended recent changes as part of a long-term textbook rationalisation exercise, opposition parties and several academic groups have criticised the revisions, calling them politically motivated and historically selective.
Sarma, however, maintained that removing glorification of individuals he considers “controversial” is a step toward presenting a more “accurate” portrayal of Indian history to students.