Mughal Myth-Busting: Pakistani Scholar Calls Out 'Toxic Legacy' of Empire

Islamabad: Many parts of India, especially Maharashtra, have recently witnessed a controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. After Aurangzeb's character was shown in a film, some organizations have demanded to dig up his grave. After this, a discussion has started on social media on the system and religious policies of Aurangzeb's time. There has been a reaction from Pakistan on this debate going on in India. Pakistani journalist Arzoo Kazmi and writer Salman Rasheed have talked on this issue.

While talking to Arzoo Kazmi, Salman said that Mughals, Khilji, Taimur, Ghazni, all of them were not Indians. These people came from Afghanistan, Iran and Arabia. Their focus was on India's wealth, they had no other motive than this. He has also criticized the people who look up to these emperors as role models. Salman said that our heroes should be people from our own land.

'Taimur was very bad'

Salman Rasheed, while talking about Taimur, claimed that he was a very bad person and a rapist. He killed many people, a large number of whom were Muslims. Taimur's son also abused women. These were very cruel people and should be called rapists. Salman said that he doesn't know why many Muslims look at him with a good eye, these were savage men.

On the Mughals, Salman Rasheed said, 'Among the Mughals, Babur got to rule for a short time and Humayun who came after him was very simple, he did not know anything. Akbar ruled for a long time but that period turned out to be good. This is because Akbar was not educated. However, the Mughal emperors after Akbar were not good at all.

Mutualists before the Mughals

Salman said that there is no correct information about how many temples were demolished by the Mughals. Even the Taj Mahal is claimed to be a temple. However, it is not known how much truth is there in this. He said that as far as forcibly converting people to Islam is concerned, this happened more in the times before the Mughals. Things like Jaziya tax were there in Aurangzeb's era, but forcibly converting people to Islam has happened before.

Salman believes that Aurangzeb was the Zia-ul-Haq of the 17th century. What Zia did in Pakistan in the 80s while being the President, the same was done by Aurangzeb at that time. There was a lot of rift in the society during his time. The work of dividing the society done by Aurangzeb was very bad. There was nothing worth praising in Aurangzeb.