Journalism started during Mahabharata: Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma. File

Joining the list of BJP leaders linking modern developments with ancient India, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has claimed that journalism began during the time of the Mahabharata.

Speaking at an event in Mathurs on Wednesday to mark ‘Hindi Journalism Day,’ the Minister cited various instances from the Indian epic to buttress his claim.

He said the mythological character, Sanjaya, sitting in Hastinapur, gave Dhritarashtra a “bird’s eye view” of the war of Mahabharata. “

Yeh live telecast nahi to aur kya hai? [If that is not live telecast, then what is it?),” Mr. Sharma said.

Ancient India’s Google

The Minister also equated another mythological character, Narada, with the present-day Google. “Your Google has started only now. But our Google started a long time back. ‘Narad Muni’ was the epitome of information. He could reach anywhere and transfer a message from one place to another by chanting ‘Narayana’ three times,” he said.

Several BJP leaders have earlier courted controversy by claiming that advance medical procedures like cataract and plastic surgery, nuclear tests and the internet were all available in ancient times.