Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – After the remarks supporting Mughal ruler Aurangzeb face intense scrutiny and action, grave concerns are being raised regarding the curtailing of freedom of expression and the growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the country.
The suspension of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi from the Maharashtra Assembly, following his statement in support of Aurangzeb, has sparked concerns about the constitutional rights of people, particularly Muslims.
“Is there a constitution in the country? Has freedom of speech ended? Those who are supposed to defend the constitution are violating it. Where is the democracy?” said Prof. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, a faculty member in the history department at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), while speaking to Clarion India about the issue.
On Wednesday, the Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed a resolution suspending Azmi for the duration of the budget session, after he remarked that Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler.
“Wrong history is being shown. Aurangzeb built many temples. I do not consider him a cruel ruler. The battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was about state administration. That battle was not about Hindus and Muslims anywhere,” Azmi had said.
Similarly, on Thursday, there was uproar in the Bihar Assembly after Janta Dal United (JD-U) MLC Khalid Anwar praised Aurangzeb, calling him “a good king.” MLAs from Anwar’s party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded action against Anwar for his remarks.
“Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler, but a good king. He did not destroy temples. Historians should discuss this, not leaders like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” said Anwar.
The controversy was raked up on Aurangzeb, who is often maligned by Hindutva ideologues and supports, as a recent Bollywood movie ‘Chhava’ portraying the Mughal ruler as cruel king hit the cinema theatres. Citing the movie scenes, Hindutva groups and other extremists’ elements started making hate speeches and targeting the minority community.
Noted human rights activist and Delhi University professor Apoorvanand pointed out that Aurangzeb is not being maligned just because the latest movie but the Mughal ruler is being targeted for very long time.
“This is not just because of a movie. The movie has been made today. They are building up myths about Aurangzeb for the very long time. This movie is an expression of the myth created about him. The current development is not just because this movie. This movie will amplify the myth about him,” he said while talking to Clarion India.
The DU professor noted that the main motive behind raising the issues related to Aurangzeb is to target the Muslim community.
“They are trying to prove that Aurangzeb was the ancestor of the present Muslims. If Aurangzeb had not been punished, his descendants must be held accountable for the Mughal ruler’s actions,” said Apoorvanand.
Several historians including American professor Audrey Truschke have written books, thesis, research papers and article to dispel the myth and propaganda created about Aurangzeb’s personality, policies and rule.
Rezavi pointed out that the Mughal ruler is being maligned because he was a Muslim.
“What had done Ashoka during his rule? Has he not killed people or not? Had Chandragupt Maurya not usurped the throne by killing others? This policy was being followed during the past rule. It was continued to be followed. If you are condemning one ruler, you should condemn others also,” he said.
The AMU professor emphasized that everyone has all right to express their opinion about the rulers under the rights guaranteed by the constitution. One can disagree but taking action and suspending anyone for merely expressing opinion had happened under the Hitler rule.
Citing the differences of opinion, he elaborated that Hindutva groups call Savarkar a “saint” while others call him “criminal”.
When it comes to the maligning of Aurangzeb, Apoorvanand pointed out that Hindutva proponents are trying to convert the Mughal ruler from the historical figure into a symbol of cruel Muslim. They want to present a Mughal ruler as symbol of a Muslim who had oppressed Hindus.
“They don’t consider the historical facts about Aurangzeb important. You have to believe what they are saying about Aurangzeb. Hindutva proponents have concocted a myth about him. If you question this myth, you will be branded as criminal,” he said.
