Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade claimed that several inaccuracies have been recorded in Indian history due to the early influence of British historians, including the widely cited story of the marriage of Jodha Bai and Mughal emperor Akbar.
Speaking at a programme in Udaipur on Wednesday evening, Govenror Bagade claimed there is no mention of Jodha and Akbar's marriage in Akbarnama.
"It is said that Jodha and Akbar got married and a film was also made on this story. History books also say the same thing but it is a lie," he claimed.
"There was a king named Bharmal and he got the daughter of a maid married to Akbar," Bagde further claimed. The governor's comments rekindle the debate over the historical account of the marriage between Amer ruler Bharmal's daughter and Akbar in 1569.
Amer or Amber, was a Rajput kingdom near present-day Jaipur and ruled by the Kachwaha Rajputs, before Sawai Jai Singh II shifted the capital to Jaipur in 1727.
"The British changed the history of our heroes. They did not write it properly and their version of history was initially accepted. Later, some Indians wrote history but it was still influenced by the British," Governor Bagade said.
He also contested the historical claim that Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap wrote a treaty letter to Akbar, calling it completely misleading.
"Maharana Pratap never compromised with his self-respect. In history, more is taught about Akbar and less about Maharana Pratap,” he claimed.
However, Govenror Bagade added that the situation is now improving. "In the new National Education Policy, efforts are being made to prepare the new generation for future challenges while preserving our culture and glorious history," he said.
Governor Bagade praised Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as symbols of patriotism.
"There is a gap of 90 years between their births. Had they been contemporaries, the country's history would have been different. Both are seen with the same vision of bravery and patriotism," he said.
Governor Bagade also said that an equestrian statue of Maharana Pratap has been installed in Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, in his honour.
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