Biplab Deb sticks to claim of internet in Mahabharata era

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb on Wednesday stood by his claim that there was internet during the Mahabharata era, saying those who did not believe it were "narrow-minded".

"Narrow minded people find it tough to believe this. They want to belittle their own nation and think highly of other countries. Believe the truth. Don't get confused and confuse others," he told news agency ANI in Agartala a day after his remark raised eyebrows.

The chief minister who recently completed one month in office had made the remark originally at a public event to push his belief that ancient Indians used internet and satellite technology millenia before these were invented in the west.


"India has been using internet since ages. In Mahabharata, Sanjay was blind but he narrated what was happening in the battlefield to Dhritarashtra anyway. This was due to internet and technology. Satellite also existed during that period," he had said.

"Some European countries and the US claim that the modern communication system were their invention, but we had all these technologies in ancient times", he said.

The remark was widely disparaged on Twitter, including by noted historian William Dalrymple who tweeted asking ,"what reasonable person could argue with this?"