Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal took a swipe at the government on Wednesday over a G20 booklet praising Mughal emperor Akbar, alleging that it has one face for the world and another for "India that is Bharat".
Sibal cited a G20 booklet titled "Bharat: The Mother of Democracy", the 38th page of which talks about Akbar. "Good administration should embrace everyone's welfare, regardless of religion. That was the kind of democracy the third Mughal Padishah Akbar practised," the booklet said.
Sibal said on X: "G20 Magazine: Government hails Mughal emperor Akbar as proponent of peace and democracy! One face: For the world another: For India that is Bharat! Please inform us about the real mann ki baat!"
The booklet said Akbar introduced the doctrine of "Sulh-i-Kuli ie universal peace, as a tool against religious discrimination".
"To create a harmonious society, he propounded a new syncretic religion known as 'Din-i-llahi' or Divine Faith. He also established the 'Ibadat Khana (House of Worship)' where wise men from different sects met and debated. A group of nine wise people, known as Navaratna, served as his counsellors while implementing his pro-people schemes," the booklet said.
"Akbar's democratic thinking was unusual and way ahead of its time," it said.
Bribe cuffs on UP rail official
New Delhi: The CBI has arrested a principal chief material manager of North Eastern Railway in Gorakhpur on the charge of accepting a bribe of Rs 3 lakh.
Searches at the residences of the accused in Gorakhpur and Noida yielded Rs 2.61 crore in cash and some documents.
The arrested person has been identified as K.C. Joshi, a spokesperson for the CBI said.
According to the CBI, a case was registered against Joshi on a complaint alleging that he had demanded Rs 7 lakh for not cancelling the registration of the complainant’s firm on the GeM portal.
“It was further alleged that the complainant’s firm was supplying trucks to the railways on a yearly contract at the rate of Rs 80,000 per truck per month,” the CBI spokesperson said.
