Row over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb hits Maharashtra again, leader of THIS party calls him 'pious man', details here

Former Maharashtra legislator Asif Shaikh has found himself in the eye of storm over his controversial remarks regarding Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. He described the Mughal invader as a 'pious' person, leading to barrage of biting response from many parties, particularly the BJP. Shaikh, a former MLA from the Congress party, reportedly stated that Aurangzeb respected all religions and treated them harmoniously. He also criticised the ongoing political discourse in Maharashtra, saying, “Defaming Aurangzeb and gaining votes in his name is what's happening right now.”

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari took strong reservation to his views and tore into him and called it a reflection of "true ideology" of the Congress party. Shaikh is however, no longer associated with the grand old party. He launched his own party named Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM), before Maharashtra Assembly polls last year.

Manoj Tiwari, speaking to IANS said, “The real ideology of the Congress keeps coming to light through its leaders. This person is calling Aurangzeb a pious person. Does that mean he was justified in the way he treated Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj?” Tiwari continued, “If anyone reads Aurangzeb's history, they'll be horrified. Every Indian—Marathi or not—who values humanity, trembles with anger recalling the atrocities inflicted by Aurangzeb. From the brutal torture of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj to the destruction of temples, forced conversions, and dishonouring of women—he committed unforgivable crimes. If a leader calls such an abominable figure 'pious', it reflects the deeply hurtful sentiment of that party.”

The BJP MP also addressed the controversy surrounding popular Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, facing backlash for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in his upcoming film Sardaar Ji 3. The casting of Pakistani actor in his film comes merely two months after the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 - which left 26 innocent tourists dead.

Commenting on the matter, Tiwari said, “There should be no cultural ties, no exchanges, and no collaborations with Pakistani artists. They should not be given work in Indian films or on any platform in India. This is the prevailing sentiment across the country, especially after the bloodshed and sacrifices of our soldiers.”
Tiwari concluded by reiterating the need for sensitivity in such matters and called on public figures to respect the national sentiments.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from IANS.)