[WTF] Internet existed in the days of Mahabharata: Tripura CM Biplab Deb

[Shamsher1990]

A minister who has claimed that the internet was invented thousands of years ago by ancient Indians is being met with ridicule.

Biplab Deb, who is the chief minister of the north-eastern state of Tripura, made the comments at a public function on Tuesday evening.

He cited an example from the ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata to prove his point, but has not found many takers.

"Tripura CM Biplap Deb" is trending on Twitter, with many Indians mocking him.

Mr Deb, in fact, joins a fairly long list of Indian ministers in the current Hindu nationalist BJP government - including Prime Minister Narendra Modi - who have claimed many modern-day scientific or technological achievements were invented many centuries ago.

In 2014 Mr Modi told a gathering of doctors and medical staff at a Mumbai hospital that cosmetic surgery existed in ancient India.

More recently, in September, junior education minister Satyapal Singh raised a few eyebrows when he claimed that the airplane was first mentioned in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana.

Mr Deb said that the battle of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata proved the existence of not just the internet, but also satellite technology in ancient India.

He said the fact that one of the characters in the epic, Sanjaya, had been able to give a blow-by-blow account of a battle that was taking place many miles away to his king Dhritarashtra proved India had access to both technologies.

This understandably raised more sceptical questions, including from professors of South Asian history:

https://twitter.com/x/status/986330549856989185

Others had more "practical" concerns.

https://twitter.com/x/status/986442192527831040

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You know, politician say things which people want to hear. They exchange words for votes. Why do folks in India believe in this kind of bullshit? Seriously, how can anyone think those people in bronze age knew a damn thing about electrons or about electricity?

 

[Sully3]

and these monkeys think they will get on the UNSC

 

[Shamsher1990]

and these monkeys think they will get on the UNSC

They may or may not, thats besides the point. I am more worried about the fact that there are a lot of people in India who would like to believe that somehow people in brozen age or even before that knew as much about electricity as we do today, or enough to fashion a device to send messages over a long distance!

 

[master_13]

They may or may not, thats besides the point. I am more worried about the fact that there are a lot of people in India who would like to believe that somehow people in brozen age or even before that knew as much about electricity as we do today, or enough to fashion a device to send messages over a long distance!

Indian claim they invented the first sewage system, have the first university, first in math... remember all the claims they made... you know, in the typical Indian fashion, you first look at what's out there that's not Indian, and then claim Indian had that first.... of course, always without any evidence, all you need is a big mouth.

 

[undercover JIX]

finally someone revealed the secret, i hope it is not too late and universe acknowledge and give due respect to Mahaan Bharat.

Modi hi ki Jai ho.

 

[Shamsher1990]

Indian claim they invented the first sewage system, have the first university, first in math... remember all the claims they made... you know, in the typical Indian fashion, you first look at what's out there that's not Indian, and then claim Indian had that first.... of course, always without any evidence, all you need is a big mouth.

This claim is different!

There is some truth in claims that Mohenjodaro Harrapa were very ancient cities with water and sewage system. Or Nalanda was a very old institution of learning. Or ancient Indians made some early contribution to trigonometry/geometry/rudimentary differential calculus. There is some hint of fact in those statements.

But what we are seeing here is a complete fiction! Mahabharat is a fiction based on some ancient battle fought in Punjab region. It is a fictional account with fantasy of distant vision. And there are people who believe in it!

This is like someone reading story of Sindabad the Sailor and claim that ancient Arabs had knowledge of aviation because Sindbad flew riding the fictional 'Rook' bird.