E-Paper
RSS leader weighs in on Aurangzeb row: 'Why Dara Shikoh not considered a hero'
Dara Shikoh was the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and is said to be a pioneer of interfaith understanding in India.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Sunday slammed the “advocates for the Ganga-Jamuni culture", which promotes harmony between cultures. He said the proponents never considered Mughal ruler Aurangzeb's brother Dara Shikoh a hero.
Addressing a press conference, Hosabale questioned the iconisation of historical figures who were “against India's ethos”.
“There have been a lot of incidents in the past. There was an 'Aurangzeb Road' in Delhi, which was renamed Abdul Kalam Road. There was some reason behind it. Aurangzeb's brother, Dara Shikoh, was not made a hero,” ANI quoted him as saying.
"Those who advocate the Ganga-Jamuni culture never thought of bringing Dara Shikoh forward. Are we going to iconize someone who was against the ethos of India, or are we going to go with those who worked according to the traditions of this land?" said the RSS General Secretary.
Who was Dara Shikoh?
Dara Shikoh was the eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and is said to be a pioneer of interfaith understanding in India.
He's described as a "liberal Muslim" who sought to find common ground between Hindu and Islamic traditions.
Shikoh was declared Crown Prince in 1655 but was defeated by Aurangzeb in 1657. He was eventually assassinated by Aurangzeb in 1659 at the age of 44. His works, such as Majma-ul-Bahrain and Sirr-i-Akbar, aimed to establish connections between Hinduism and Islam.
He translated the Upanishads and other Hindu texts from Sanskrit to Persian, introducing Indian culture and spirituality to Europe and the West. Unlike his brother Aurangzeb, Dara Shikoh was inclined towards philosophy and mysticism, rather than military pursuits.
The RSS leader also distinguished between fighting against the British and fighting against those who came before them.
"If the freedom fighting is done against Britishers, then it is a freedom fight. The fight against those who were before them (Britishers) was also a freedom movement. What Maharana Pratap did was fight for freedom. If there are people with an invader mentality, then they are a danger to the country... We have to decide whom we are going to associate with the ethos of our country... It is not about religion... This is RSS's firm view...," Hosabale added.
ALSO READ: Nagpur violence: 14 more held, 105 arrested in total over clashes
His remarks came after, recent clashes in Nagpur which erupted on March 17 over demands for the removal of Aurangzeb's grave. Tensions escalated further when rumours circulated that a holy book of a particular community had been burnt during the agitation. However, the situation has now returned to normal, and the curfew imposed in several areas has been lifted.
(With ANI inputs)
