Kolkata, April 20: Amid controversy over Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deba's claim that internet and satellite communication existed in Mahabharata's time, state Governor Tathagata Roy on Friday said people in the Puranic period either had superhuman imagination or some kind of prototypes otherwise they could not have conceived such ideas.
"In the Puranic period, people had thought of 'Divya Drishti', Pushpaka Ratha' (divine sight, flying chariot, respectively), which means, they must have had superhuman imagination or some kind of prototype. There could be things which are beyond our imagination.
"Unless there was a prototype of something of that type, it was not possible to conceive such a thing," Roy said while responding to a query on the sidelines of the launch of his book "Syama Prasad Mookerjee".
In the 1960s, "could we ever imagine such a thing as a cell phone? Impossible... We could not conceive of it because there was no prototype in front of our eyes," he contended.
Deb had recently claimed that internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata.
"Internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. Sanjaya (the charioteer of king Dhritarashtra) using the technology gave a detailed account and description to the blind king about the battle of Kurukshetra," Deb had said on Tuesday.
Subsequently, the Governor had tweeted: "Tripura Chief Minister's observations about the happenings of the Puranic period are topical. It is virtually impossible to conceive of devices like 'Divya drishti',Pushpaka Ratha', etc. without some kind of prototype and study thereon."
Roy, however, on Friday said: "I have not said there was internet at that time. I have merely said this is a thing worth trying to find out."
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
