New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), its political arm Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and other right wing Hindu groups miss no opportunity to display their hate for Muslim rulers, singling out especially the Mughals.
In contrast to their publicly declared stand, the Narendra Modi government however praised Mughal Emperor Akbar in a magazine released on the occasion of G20 Summit 2023 that was held in the National Capital on September 09 and 10, 2023.
In the 52-page G20 Magazine, which is also available online in PDF form, Modi Government called Mughal Emperor Akbar as a “proponent of peace and democracy” whose “democratic thinking was unusual and way ahead of its time”.
Frequently abusing the Mughal rulers for all the wrongs that India has today, and calling them “foreign invaders” is regular for RSS, BJP and other right wing Hindu leaders. Prime Minister Modi too after winning the elections in 2014 talked about “1,200 years of slave mentality”.
But his own government described the Mughal Era of Emperor Akbar an example of “Good governance that worked for everyone’s welfare, regardless of religion” in the G20 Magazine.
“Good administration should embrace everyone’s welfare, regardless of religion. That was the kind of democracy the 3rd Mughal Padishah Akbar practiced”, the G20 Magazine said about Mughal Emperor’s era of 1556-1605 CE.
Under the title “Bharat – The Mother of Democracy”, the G20 Magazine published by the Modi government then described in brief how Akbar introduced the doctrine of ‘Sulh-i-Kul’ and propounded a new syncretic religion known as “Din-i-Ilahi”.
The Magazine also highlighted the Akbar’s nine wise men, Navaratna, who used to help the Emperor in implementing pro-people schemes.
“Akbar’s democratic thinking was unusual and way ahead of its time,” the G20 Magazine said hailing Akbar as “The Understanding Monarch”.
Ever since the details of the G20 Magazine became public, social media is abuzz pointing out at the hypocrisy and double-standard of the BJP and Modi government that according to them has no other work but to “erase India’s history”, “change the name of roads and cities named after the Mughal rulers” and “discredit them for the remarkable legacy, cultural heritage and monumental marvels they had given to the country”.
The BJP government in New Delhi was similarly criticized after Prime Minister Modi took on September 10, 2023 the world leaders, who were in New Delhi for the G20 Summit, to Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. “Praise Gandhi in front of the world, and hail as hero Godse at home”, social media users wrote.
Godse, Nathuram Godse for full, was the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi and some of RSS affiliates and BJP leaders justify his crime and openly praise him as a “great nationalist leader”.
Noted journalist Sagarika Ghose even wrote an OpED titled “Gandhi for the world, Godse for India?” in a prominent English daily.
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