Lucknow: Controversies and politicians go hand in hand.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s comments on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his descendants is the latest instance.
Speaking at a gathering at Ayodhya’s Asarfi Bhawan Peeth on Friday, Yogi claimed that the successors of the 17th-century ruler now live near Kolkata and earn their livelihood as rickshaw pullers.
Invoking “divine justice of history,” the UP chief minister said: “I was told that Aurangzeb’s descendants are living near Kolkata, working as rickshaw pullers. Had Aurangzeb not defied divinity and destroyed temples and religious sites, perhaps his lineage would not have faced such a fate.”
Turning his attention to the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Yogi condemned the atrocities faced by the minority community in the neighbouring countries, and called for the preservation of ‘Sanatana’ values.
“Our sages gave the world the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family) thousands of years ago. Sanatan Dharma has always been a refuge for all faiths during times of crisis. But have Hindus been treated the same way? The violence in Bangladesh, and previously in Pakistan and Afghanistan, reflects the challenges faced by the Hindu community,” Yogi said.
Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor who ruled India from 1658 until his death in 1707, is a deeply polarising figure in Indian history. His administrative capabilities are considered to be a benchmark by many, while others are harsh critics of his religious intolerance and destruction of temples during his reign.
Yogi’s remarks are significant as they come at a time when cultural and religious heritage are hot topics of debate and discussion, and a matter of legal dispute.
