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| RUPEE NEWS | June 5th, 2008 | Moin Ansari | معین آنصآرّی | اخبار روپیہ |
SHOULD A SECULAR SOCIETY HONOR A CONTRAVERSIAL FIGURE WHO IS NOW AN ICON OF COMMUNALISM AND ISLAMPHOBIA IN BHARAT?
by Moin Ansari
Revised and updated July 18th, 2008
NEW YORK| RUPEE NEWS | June 5th, 2008 | Moin Ansari: There are fault lines between the Hindu Muslim ecumenical harmony. No where are the fault lines sharper than in the discussion of the protagonists in Battle of Pratapgarh fought on November 30, 1659. The battle was fought between the Mughal forces and the renegades who were against the state. To say the very least the controversial Shivaji is not considered a person of any high reputation by contemporary historians. Secular Indian consider is just a battle between two armies, however the Hinduvata consider is a battle between Muslims and Hindus.
In a secular society the country the rights of the secularists, the minorities and Muslims are being trampled. Building a statue for a controversial figure who now represents opposition to all Muslims will surely exacerbatete Hindu-Muslim relations not only in Bharat but on her bloody borders.
The Mughal forces were of course a huge conglomeration of Sikh, Marhatta, Rajput, Hindu, Muslim, and other forces. In fact one of Aurenzeb’s disowned sons who did not succeed in overthrowing the king was part of the Shivaji army.
Let us look into the seeds of time and see what makes Shivaji such a contraversial figure.
New versions of revisionist history are posted on the internet, but credible historians agree on these facts which are not in dispute.
- Facing a huge Mughal Army Shivaji sent a letter saying he was not eager to face Afzal Khan in battle, and he wanted a negotiated settlement.
- Facing imminent defeat by the overwhelming Mughal force Shivaji decided to meet Afzal Khan under the guise of diplomatic negotiations.
- Afzal Khan, after leaving Bijapur wanted agreed to meet Shivaji in an open ground without arms and under normal diplomatic norms of peace and honesty.
- Face to face diplomacy was considered a matter of integrity for the Mughals.
- A meeting was arranged between Afzal Khan and Shivaji at the foothills of Fort Pratapgad.
- A wanted criminal, Shivaji was was not greeted with a rainfall of arrows and was not attacked by 25 Mughal soldiers. He was accorded safet.
- Afzal Khan had a large physical stature leading a battle hardened veteran army. He considered this assignment as a small matter of stamping out a pesky regional chieftain who was physically weak and in to position to fight the mighty Mughal Army.
- Shivajiprepared carefully and diligently for this encounter; he secretly armed himself with sharp metal razor weapon called wagh nakh (tiger claw), and chilkhat (armour) prior to the meeting.
- Afzal Khan embraced him before the commencement of supposed negotiations
- During the embrace Shivaji surreptously attacked AfzalKhan with the “wagh nakh” and “bich’hwa”, spilling his blood and entrails on the ground.
One of our esteemed Rupee News readers correctly points out the following:
His fight was not for hindu kingdom as painted by hindu fanatics. His most trusted general in all his campaigns was Haider Ali Kohari; Darya Sarang was chief of armory; Ibrahim Khan and Daulat Khan were prominent in the navy; and Siddi Ibrahim was chief of artillery.
One third of his supporter were MUSLIMS & he had pathans support as well after pashtun rebellion against mughal empire due to failed ECONOMIC policy.
Top officials with him include: 1)Siddi halal, 2)Siddi wahwah, 3)Nurkhan baig, 4)Qazi haider, 5)Shamakhan (source to added-citation needed)
The Hinduvata define the incident as such: “Afzal Khan, the general from Bijapur who tried to murder Shivaji. But Shivaji’s wits ensured otherwise; and it was Afzal Khan who was slain by Shivaji Maharaj.”
Becuase of the RSS activity in the 1940s and as a result of the Hinduvata the lines between the Muslim heroes and the Hindu Heroes were defined not today but hundreds of years ago in the Subcontinent. Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah defined it eloquently in the Two Nation Theory (originally defined by Lai and other RSS Hindus) in 40s. He sais “your heroes are our enemies, and our enemies are your heroes“. Shivaji is reviled in the civilized world of the time, not becuase of his religious affiliations but becuse of his guerilla tactics of asyymitric warware which in the middle ages was considered unmanly. As our Indian readers have pointed out the Mughal forces included many Hindus and the forces of Shivaji included many Muslims.
While Shanghai is building skyscrapers, and creating a modern city the envy of the world, Mumbai is busy in creating rift among the Muslims and Hindus. Mumbai is to sport another new symbol of Islamphobia and bigotry–the statue of Shivaji, a guerrilla fighter from the South that harassed Mughal forces by hit and run attacks. Could Muslims return the favor this time?
- Is India a failed state? Yes. India is not a state.
- How long to end poverty in “Bharat” Affluence in Bharat
- India as world power! Part 1
- World power India: Part 2
- Chilled Urine drinking hot in India. From Gandhi to Prime Minister Desai to common man
- Hindu India: A gift from the Hindu Gods:Cows Urine: UK Telegraph reports by Julian West
- A fit from the Gods to Hindus. Bottled Cow Urine. Story reported by Daily Telegraph of UK
- Sex life of Mohandas Gandhi, his failures and sexual perversion
- Sex life of Indira Gandhi
- Nehru was Gay! Affair with Edwina also
- http://rupeenews.com/2008/01/20/bla-a-threat-to-international-peace-by-ahmad-shah-baloch-the-bla-is-the-creation-of-indian-intelligence-agencies-which-are-trying-to-create-instability-in-the-areas-bordering-iran-and-afghanistan
- GANDHI: Gandhi condones Zulu massacres and defends the British. Aug 4 1906
- The sex life of Mr. Gandhi, and his failures as a politician
- The myth of Mohandas K. Gandhi debunked. He gets an “F” on South Africa, Salt Match, Non-Violence, and independence
- Which war did Mohandas Gandhi support. All of them. There wasn’t a war that the prophet of Non-Violence did not support. He was Sergeant Major in the British Army and won a medal for his war duties
- Gandhi’s racism. The truth behind the mask. Behold Sergeant Major Gandhi who supported the British during the Boer war, Zulu rebellion. Behold the prophet of peace who worked to stratify the South African society.
- Gandhi did not bring the British Empire down.
- Gandhi’s letter to his friend Hitler.
- http://rupeenews.com/2008/03/11/dr-br-ambedkar-on-gandhi-the-black-untouchables-gandhi-is-the-greatest-enemy-the-untouchables-have-ever-had-in-india/
- Sex life of Mohandas Gandhi, his failures and sexual perversion
Secular India: Anti Muslim Shivaji statue to guard Bombay shores
Map of India showing the highest concentration of Brahmins and Hindu extremists known as Hinduvta who worship Shiviji as an icon of Islamphobic bigotry to promote communal violence in Bharat.
Mumbai to build statue taller than Lady Liberty MUMBAI: Mumbai plans to erect a statue of a Hindu warrior king off the city’s shore in the Arabian Sea that will be taller than the Statue of Liberty, government officials said on Tuesday. India’s financial capital has consciously modelled its development on that of Shanghai, but its leaders admit to sometimes coveting aspects of Western metropolises too. “It is true that the Statue of Liberty was perhaps an inspiration a little bit,” said Thanksy Thekkekara, the principal secretary of the government of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital. While almost equally massive, the two statues may prove different in their symbolism. Mumbai’s statue will depict Shivaji Bhosle, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji, revered by many in western India as a warrior who fought the Mughal empire and annexed land from its Muslim rulers in the 17th century. The planned statue is about 309 feet (94m) tall, including its pedestal, Thekkekara said. The Statue of Liberty measures 305 feet (93m) from the ground to the tip of her torch.
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Filed under: Current Affairs | Tagged: Hinduvta, India, Mumbai, Shivaji
Force is all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived. ~Abraham Lincoln In 1821
2009: On August 15, India’s independence day, Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of Srinagar, was taken over by thousands of people who hoisted the Pakistani flag and wished each other “happy belated independence day”:-- Arundhati Roy
(Pakistan celebrates independence on August 14)
Modi & Hindu fundamentalist Modi in “India” funded by US Gujaratis
Governor Bobby Jindal is financed by Indian American Hotel Association and he supports the IAHA which funds Modi
Indian Hotel Association hosts Modi after US denied him a visa 
“We should have nothing to do with conquest.“ In Thomas Jefferson 1791
The PPPP emptied the treasury in 6 months!
Mr. Modi the Chief Minister was implicated in these riots--supported by Indian Hotel Owners Association in America--the same group that supports Gov. Bobby Jindal
-------------------------------------
Laden's secure mountain hideout?
Vacuity of ideas forces people to make personal attacks on “Majid Khan”.
Credibility is shown by using real names and read ids to make comments.
“Martha”, your comments should be on the content of the material persented.
What does the subject at hand have to do with the price of rice in China? We are not discussing the destruction of Buddhism in South Asia by the Brahamanism in this article.(http://rupeenews.com/2008/02/03/why-did-buddhism-disappear-from-the-south-asian-subcontinent-summary-of-brahmin-atrocities-that-destroyed-buddhism-in-the-subcontinent/) Not sure what the Taliban had to do with Shivaji’s statue?
Majid Khan, after reading all your passages regarding, I can only conclude that you are among those Muslims who are known for spoiling the image of Islam. The person who don’t care about his own religion doesn’t reserve any right to blame others and teach them a lessons regarding Buddha and Sikhs. Go and see who were in afganistan involved in destruction of gigantic Buddha statues. I knew that you only have the wisdom of some cheap words which you people use to best effect to get their messege across.
The question is..did Lord Buddha want to be worshipped?
Buddha was not Hindu–Suddharta actually rejected Hindusism in all its forms.
Some Hindus worship Buddha, but Buddhists in China, Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Korea, Sri Lanka and Tibet are not Hindus—neither do they worship any Hindu Gods. The Buddhists are not HIndu.
By destroying Buddhism in the land of its birth, some Hindus tried to incorporate Buddhism into Hindusism. It has not worked.(see article why did Buddhism disappear? on this site)
Sikhs were advised to marry one son to Hindus and one to Muslims. Muslims did not want to marry a Sikh so it was left out to dry.
It is very strange that you say Sikhism and Buddhism is the same. THe Koreans would disagree with you
[rudeness/profanity edited] [personal attacks deleted} As reported in your site India is poorer and in a state of anarchy than Pakistan. Read any international reports to get your facts right. Well, you don't dare talk about our fellow brothers religion.
FYI Budhhism, Sikhism are not different religions. Lord Budhha is one of the messengers of our Hindu Brothers. Even till this date Hindu brothers worship Buddha. (lot of ISKCON in USA, check out).
All Hindu families in Punjab gave their elder sons for Guru's service to fight the intolerant Mughals and came to be known as Sikhs. The so-many religions are just a policy of divide and rule by soem politicians. Seeing Moin's comments, I know it useless to talk to him also. [personal attacks deleted] FYI Change with Times, otherwise you will be left behind by centuries as you are now in Pakistan. …
May Allah give you a little wisdom.
Majid
Why you deleted my posts??
Donot you have courage to keep those?? :-))))))
Brahmans exterminating Buddhism in India:—it all started and ended WAY before Khilji arived on the scene.
Read Raj Kalani’s history of Kashmir
http://rupeenews.com/2008/02/03/why-did-buddhism-disappear-from-the-south-asian-subcontinent-summary-of-brahmin-atrocities-that-destroyed-buddhism-in-the-subcontinent/
Please note that Rupee News is a US based newspaper.
The mentality of those who support the Shivaji shows in these posts. That was a purpose of the orignal post. The bigots came like flies to honey and posted bigoted comments about Islam, Pakistan and all sorts of subjects–all to protect Shivaji.
See this commentator call Mughals “outsiders”.
On Pakistan–here is the stadnard response # 786 already posted under the Pakistan tab:
http://rupeenews.com/2008/04/26/india-is-as-much-a-country-as-the-equator-winston-churchill/
Also see
http://rupeenews.com/2007/11/27/here-we-go-again-another-indian-prophecy-of-doom-the-first-one-came-in-1947/
QED
What a lie.? This guys [personal attacks and rudeness deleted] and presenting India in as a fanatic nation just to hide the fact of home of terrorism which is Pakistan.
Mughals rulers were outsiders. They were never Indian. However until Aurangjeb all Mugal ruler were tolerant to Hinduism.
It was Aurangjeb who started started forcefully conversion of Hindus to Muslims and kill those who deny him.
Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur Singh was one of those who was brutally tortured and eventually killed for not accepting Islam by Aurangjeb.
Sivaji was a freeodm fighter. He opposed the brutality of Aurangjeb. Auranjeb sent many of his pimps to kill Sivaji. Afzal Shah was one of those. Who though he can easily kill Sivaji by hand as he was physically much bigger in size. He was killed by Sivaji rigth on spot.
It was Sivaji who saved lakhs of Hindus whom Mughal Emperor Aurangjeb was forcefully converting.
About Maharastrian Govt building statue of Shivaji, what’s wrong in that?? Why should it be a matter of Pakistani what Indian govt has to do??
Get a life you looser and look into your own backyad. Your country is almost near to one more division after 1971.
HITLER:
I believe your point was on Abu Ali..this has nothing to do with Abu Ali.
This is the best you could come up with…a couple of “out of context” sentences from Lebanese papers. The idiot Julian doesn’t even know that the Baath was Christian…this on a site of Christians for Jews.
How silly! She doesn’t know that Lebanon is mostly Christian also.
Muslims fought along with Jews in Africa and defeated hilter (see article of Robert Fisk also posted on this site). The Tartarts, Chechniyanas and Bosnians cut Hitler’s supply lines. Indian Muslim fought the Naziz alsong with Hindus sent to the defense of the Empire by Gandhi (self appointed Recruiter in Chief of the Empire–Source: Rahul Gandhi’s book “Mohandas”)
“One of the misperceptions is that Islam is a religion of violence. But Islam is not the only religion that teaches that war is sometimes necessary and justified. Other religions also openly discuss war. In the Old Testament, there is mention of righteous anger and God tells Jews to wage war against the Canaanites. The Catholic church had St. Augustine of Hippo, who initiated the theory of the “Just War” in the fourth century, and Hinduism’s great Song of the God, the Bhagavad Gita, is about duties that include making war when it is necessary. “
Islam does address the reasons for wars. It is permissible to fight in the defence of one’s country, one’s religious community or injustices against the vulnerable. This permission to fight is always tempered with many limitations, along with the message that to forgive or desist is better.
As there were several battles between the fledgling community of Muslims and the tribes around Mecca and Medina, there are passages in the Qur’an about fighting and battles.
The directions are clear about the right to defend oneself but that to go out looking for fights is not allowed.
“Fight in God’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression, for God does not love aggressors … fight against them until there is no more oppression.”
And again.
“Permission to fight is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged … those who have been driven from their homelands … if God had not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, all monasteries and churches and synagogues and mosques – in all of which God’s name is abundantly extolled – would surely have been destroyed.”
As for those who died in battle the Qur’an states: “Do not think of those who have been slain in God’s cause as dead. Nay, they are alive! With their Sustainer have they their sustenance … no fear need they have nor shall they grieve … “
The following shows that the Hindu demand that Muslims rebuild Hindu temples destroyed by Muslims
is valid.
Indira Gandhi ordered operation Blue Star to flush out Sikh terrorists and Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Golden Temple was damaged during the action. Indira Gandhi had it rebuilt.
While I respect Rumi, I cannot support Sufi like Al-Ghazali. One has to be careful about Sufis. This is what Al-Ghazali says:
*************************************************
Al Ghazali, perhaps the greatest Muslim scholar and a Sufi wrote:
“One must go on jihad (i.e., warlike razzias or raids) at least once a
year…one may use a catapult against them [non-Muslims] when they are
in a fortress, even if among them are women and children. One may set
fire to them and/or drown them…If a person of the Ahl al-Kitab
[People
of The Book - primarily Jews and Christians] is enslaved, his marriage
is [automatically] revoked.One may cut down their trees…One must
destroy their useless books. Jihadists may take as booty whatever they
decide…they may steal as much food as they need…
A Hindu Appreciates Aurangzeb’s action
Although Aurangzeb tortured Shivaji’s son Shambhuji to death, Auranzeb treated Shahu (Shambhuji’s son) well, and did not force him to convert to Islam. For this he has the gratitude of Hindus.
When Hitler Became Abu Ali
http://christianactionforisrael.org/antiholo/hitler_abu.html
Note that this was before Israel was formed.
There is an Aurangzeb Road in Delhi.
Anti-Hindu Aurangzeb (who destroyed Hindu temples and hurt Hindu religious sentiments) has been honored. Hindus have not demanded that the road be renamed.
Why are Muslims opposing the Shivaji Statue to honor Shivaji who respected the Religion of Islam, never destroyed mosques or Korans, and was chivalrous to Muslim women (according to Muslim historian Khafi Khan) ? PLEASE REPLY TO THIS SPECIFIC POINT.
Does Rumi support Sharia Law and the Jihad against Kafirs? Please cite the references where Rumi supports Sharia Law and Jihad against Kaffirs. Then I will agree that there is only one Islam.
Your claim that “there is only one Islam” is ridiculous (Rumi and Koran are actually contradictory).
Similarly it would be ridiculous to say that “there is only one Hinduism”. The Hinduism of the Manu Smriti, which supports the caste system , contradicts the Hinduism of the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita..
You say Hindus were accorded the same rights as Jews and Christians — as if that means they were treated well. Under Islam, Jews and Christians are also Kafirs and mistreated.
You say “there is only one Islam.” Rumi welcomes idolaters. The Koran (Chapter 9 verse 5) calls on Muslims to “slay the idolaters wherever you find them”.
To say that Rumi and the Koran teach the same Islam is “taqiyya” — the Islamic art of deceiving Kaffirs.
Hindus did not exterminate Buddhism in India, Muslims did. Ambedkar has said that too. Who destroyed the Buddhist University of Nalanda? Muslims did (Khilji in 1200).
Your information on Pakistan is incorrect.
Tokenism does not mean “good treatment”. See articles on Indian Muslims on this site.
http://rupeenews.com/2008/06/20/delhi-darbar-indias-hollow-secularism-genocide/
Population of Hindus has also grown since 1948. Nawabshah is pretty much a Hindu majority city.
The last Chief Justice of Pakistan was a Hindu.
http://rupeenews.com/2008/07/04/oh-india-why-this-global-mischief/
Hindus and Indian were in power in the inital days of bangladesh…what did they try to do…merge bangladesh back into India. In 1974 the Bengali patriots killed the Indian agent and threw out the agents working for Rakhi Bahni. Indians in Sikkim merged Sikkim back into India. Indians working in Nepal tried that in Nepal also and in Bhutan…and are trying to take over Sril Lanka and Maldives.
So it is impossible to trust these guys in all these countries some Hindu, some Muslim…
Now you know what RAW is doing.
No source given on Hitler. Information is incorrect. There was no Muslim-Jewish fight in 1939. Jews escaped Spanish Inquisition to Morocco and Istanbul.
You should have picked a different name to disparge Muslims. Abu Ali menas father of Ali and is not really a name. As far as we know Hitler surely did not have a son…and surely not Ali…we call it crackhouse rumors…and your points simply provoke and have no merit to them
Hindus in Pakistan get to celebrate Holi and other events as holidays. Your knowledge of Pakistan is limited nad incorrect.
Rest of data in your post is also unsubstatntiated and incorrect
Don’t hold your breath on an apology from Muslims.
Maybe Hindus should apologize for exterminating Buddhism in the Subcontinent and the Aryans for destroying the Dravadians. Also Hindus should apologize for the 330 million deaths mentioned in the Mahabharta and the Korya Panda wars also.
I am a Sufi for a long line of Sufis–600 years worth.
There is only ONE Islam. Rumi’s works reflect the beauty of the Quran.
Your notions of Islam are based on Hinduvata sterotypes and wrong. All this has been refuted thousands of times on this site and the media. (http://rupeenews.com/2008/07/04/oh-india-why-this-global-mischief/) No point in refuting them point by point.
Thank you for your feedback
Rumi’s Islam can bring peace to the world
Jalal-ud-Din Rumi: The Greatest Mystic of Islam
Jalal-ud-Din Rumi was born on September 30, 1207 in Balkh, Afghanistan, wrote in Persian, and died on December 17, 1273, in Konya, Turkey. “Rumi combined the intellect of a Plato, the vision and enlightened soul-force of a Buddha or a Christ, and the extravagant literary gifts of a Shakespeare” writes Andrew Harvey in “The Teachings of Rumi.” , where he also quotes the following verse from Rumi:
“Go on a journey from self to Self, my friend …..
Such a journey transforms the earth into a mine of gold.”
Rumi is today, the most widely read poet in America. In the Islamic world, Rumi is affectionately called “Mevlana” or “Maulana”, meaning “Our Teacher.” Rumi’s magnum opus , the Mathnawi, distills the wisdom and spiritual insights of the Islamic civilization.
The following web site, in the “Places of Peace and Power” series,
gives information on sacred sites related to Rumi in Konya, Turkey:
http://www.sacredsites.com/middle_east/turkey/konya.htm
The Islam of the Jihadists and the Islamic Fundamentalists is violent, seeks to impose sharia (Islamic Law) on the world through jihad, seeks to rule the world, outlaws music, poetry, and chess, and denies non-muslims and women their human rights. Recently, the President of Iran stated that “Islam will rule the world.” Throughout the world, and especially in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Islamic Religious Schools (madrassas) and mosques preach hatred for non-Muslims. The intolerant Islamic Fundamentalists and Jihadists do not permit non-Muslims to enter the city of Mecca. Non-Muslims everywhere have permitted the Saudis to build mosques in their lands, but the Saudis will not permit the building of a church, synagogue, or a Hindu or Buddhist temple in Saudi Arabia. The Islamic Fundamentalist regime of the Taliban destroyed the priceless Buddha statues in Afghanistan. Islamic Fundamentalists and Jihadists have been causing havoc in the world: the events of September 11, 2001 in the United States, and subsequent violent acts in Bali, Madrid, Holland, Iraq,the United Kingdom, India, France and Jordan are notable examples. The “Caliphate” or Islamic Empire the Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists seek to establish would indeed be an “Evil Empire” , to use a term President Ronald Reagan used for the now defunct Soviet Union.
The Islam of Rumi is the anti-thesis of the Islam of the Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists. The Islam of the Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists is based on the Islamic Caste System in which Muslim men constitute the upper caste and non-Muslims and women constitute the lower caste, to be subjugated and oppressed. In the Islam of Rumi, all human beings are equal.
The spirit of the Islam of Rumi is expressed beautifully in Rumi’s words which are inscribed on a sign, in English, near Rumi’s mausoleum in Konya, Turkey:
“Come, come whoever you are, whether you be fire-worshippers, idolaters, or pagans. Ours is not the dwelling place of despair. All who enter will receive a welcome here.”
“Rumi said that he should simply say “farewell” to the “immature fanatics” who scorn music and poetry.” (from Robert Kaplan’s “The Ends of the Earth”, pp 143-144).
The Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists demand respect by terrorizing people; Rumi commands respect through his espousal of universal values, and his spiritual vision.
The Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists attempt to impose the uniformity of sharia
through jihad: Rumi celebrates diversity.
The Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists attempt to instill fear in all: Rumi teaches
universal love and understanding.
The Islam of the Jihadists and Islamic Fundamentalists is incompatible with the modern world; the Islam of Rumi is just what the modern world needs.
Far from being an Evil Empire, an Islamic Empire based on the Islam of Rumi will be a blessing for the world, and will be welcomed by one and all.
The Islam of Rumi is truly a “Religion of Peace.”
Today, more than ever, the world needs Rumi. The Islam of Rumi ought to be taught in mosques, and madrassas throughout the world. This will usher in the long overdue Islamic Reformation. This alone can avert the “Clash of Civilizations” predicted by Samuel Huntington.
Without a Muslim apology, if not reparations, for past wrongs done to Hindus by Muslims, it will be difficult to bury the Hindu-Muslim feud. Part of that apology will be for Muslims to wholeheartedly support the building of the new Shivaji statue. Also, Muslims must rebuild Hindu temples in just three of the sites where Hindu temples were destroyed to build mosques: Varanasi (Lord Shiva),Ayodhya (Lord Rama)and Mathura (Lord Krishna). Rebuilding just three out of thousands of Hindu templea destroyed is not asking for much at all.
Dara Shikoh was Aurangzeb’s brother, not his son. Aurangzeb got Dara Shikoh murdered after he grabbed power.
Muslims supported Hitler and gave him an affectionate Muslim name — Abu Ali. They loved him because he killed Jews.
Muslims destroyed the famous Buddha statues in Afghanistan without provocation and out of sheer bigotry.
Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is a holiday in India. Is there a holiday for a Hindu festival or Hindu God in any Muslim country?
Kafirs cannot practice their religion in Saudi Arabia.Kafirs are not allowed to go to college in Iran.
Is that “good” treatment of kafirs?
Population of Kafirs in Pakistan is almost 0 today., but the population of Muslims in India has increased since Independence in 1947. What does that say?
India has had Muslim Presidents, Chief Justices, Chief Ministers, etc. Is that bad treatrment of Muslims
in India? The richest man in India (Azim Premji) is a Muslim.
Yes, whoever targets civilians is a terrorist. Shivaji was not a terrorist. Bin Laden is is a terrorist.
Thank you for your feedback.
Your description of Khan is incorrect. He was absolutely allied with the Mughals and represented them in the South. Many Hindus were also allied with the Mughals and in fact Shivahi also fought with Hindus also. In fact many Hindu kingdosm copied the Mughal patwari system and imposed reverse jizya and “zakat” (not called zakat0 on the Hindu subjects.
Not sure why the discussion of Shivaji has turned into a discusion of Islam.
Aurenzeb was the Emperor of a large part of the Subcontinent. It is like defining Prime Minister Mr. Singh as a Sikh government. Mr. Sings today represents the power of New Delhi. Like all Mughal Emperors, Aurenzeb had people of all faiths in his court. His son Dara Shikoh was from a Hindu wife and may have been Hindu. Disparaging Aurenzeb and making him into a caricature— hurts the feelings of a large section of the population. Describing Shivaji as a Hindu leader automatically puts him on a collision course with many Indians. Describing Aurenzeb as a Muslim Emperor is inaccurate, incorrect and one the main reasons of the Two Nation Theory and separation between Muslims and Hindus.
Masnavi is based on the Quran. There is no contradiction. Your understanding of the Quran makes some basic assumptions that are incorrect and based on communalism. In fact many Muslim emperors had declared Hindus as “people of the book” (Source Karen Armstonrg:-History of God) and accorded all the rights and privilages given to Jews and Christians.
No Muslim government has come near the atrocities of Stalin, Mao, Cambodian killing fieds, Hootoo Tootsis, WW1 (15 million killed), WW2 (50 million killed) , the Spanish Inquisition etc etc. Accrding to the Mahabaharta the inter-aryan wars killed 330 million people (I didn’t make up the numbers..I just report them). The Aryan-Dravidian wars (Kora pandas) killed millions also.
Kindly read the “meesaq e madina” posted under the tab “Islam”.
Desecration of temples in Medival times is a complex issue and cannot be answered in a sound bite. In summary the temple was the center of finance, politics, social activity and many times the temple was also the treasury. Hindu temples were not just places of workship, they represented the physical and financial power of the state. Jesus also spoke up about the activities of in the Jewish temples. Hindus armies when they marched against each other also raided temples. Christian armies when they occupied Hindu states also attacked the treasury “Fort Knox” which kept real estate records, women, gols, silver etc. Using medival times to describe Islam works well to burn Muslims in Gujrat, harass them in Kashmir and destroy the Babri Masjid, but it has nothing to do with reality.
There are many supporters of Hilter in the BJP. Mr. Modi is one of them. Why don’t you put up a statue of Mr. Hilter in Mumbai also!
The religion of “secularisim” means nothing. Stalin killed millions as did Hitler and Dalits, Women (50 miliion white widows, 10 million baby girls killed before and after birth), Naxalites, Indian Muslims in Indian “secularism” are treated like trash.
Thousands of Indians Hindus line up around the Saudi Embassy dyeing to get visa to get to Saudi Arabia..some trash…
The Hindu Chief Justice of Pakistan Das doesn’t think that he is trash.
Sikh yatrees in Pakistan are subsidised
By your definion who ever targets civilians is a terrorist?
Correct? Kindly answer yes or no?
What are your views on the pampering of Muslims through Haj subsidies by the Govt. of India, even during the rule of the hated BJP party?
Shivaji never targeted Muslim CIVILIANS. His guerilla tactics were used against THE ARMIES of Aurangzeb.
Terrorists like Bin Laden target CIVILIANS.
Your comparison is not valid.
By that definition, Shivaji was not a terrorist.
Muslims are never secular when they are in a majority.
They only demans secularism when they are in a minority.
Non-Muslims are treated like trash in Muslim majority countries like Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
It seems like Muslims want to eat their cake and have it too.
There are other errors in the article. Afzal Khan was not a general of Aurangzeb or the Mughals. He was a general of one of the Sultanates of the South.
While you may delight in calling Shivaji a “two-bit Raja”,
the fact is that the movement he started eventually brought down Aurangzeb who delighted in destroying Hindu temples. Can you object to Hindus considering Shivaji a hero?
I have yet to see a Muslim condemn the desecration of Hindu temples by Aurangzeb or other Muslims, of which there are countless examples. Can a good Muslim condemn the destruction of the temples of “idolaters” (Hindus) and still be considered a good Muslim?
Hindus do not study the Manu Smriti ,which prescribes the caste system as a holy book any more. Is it not time for Muslims to replace the Koran by Rumi’s Mathnawi? Unlike the Koran, the Mathnawi does not preach Jihad against non-Muslims.
Hindus have rejected the caste system. Is it not time for Muslims to reject Jihad against Kaffirs and reject the unjust Sharia Law which oppresses both women and non-Muslims?
Why do Muslims object to the glorification of Shivaji when according to Muslim historians themselves, Shivaji respected the Religion of Islam and was chivalrous towards Muslim women? Was it wrong for him to oppose Aurangzeb who wanted to destroy Hindu temples?
About the Afzal Khan incident. Did you know that on an earlier occasion, Afzal Khan had killed Kasturi Ranga, a Hindu whom he had invited for “talks”? Afzal Khan’s penchant for killing his adversaries he had invited for talks was well known. Afzal Khan had also killed Shivaji’s brother Shambhuji. Later, Aurangzeb tortured Shivaji’s son Shambhji to death. Shambhuji, Shivaji’s son,, who was named after his uncle Shambhuji who had been killed by Afzal Khan.
Thank you for hearing me out.
Not sure what the Neocon term “Political islam” means. It is just a bogey to malign people. “Political Hinduism“, “Political Judiasm“, “Political Buddhism” and “Political Sikhism” if discussed in the same vein will produce similar results.
Shivaji was not against “Poloitical islam” as much as Aurenzed was for it.
It was a squabble between a two-bit raja in the South and the Mighty Mughal Empire.
Shivaji participated in guerilla tactics…akin to those terrorists to today–asymetrical warfware produced no major results for him and his tactics were not sustainable for any period of time.
Shivji as a symbol of Hinduvata irks all…see comments by a secular Hindu above
There is some evidence of what you say. We have updated the article with that evidence.
However the Hinduvata and you are using Shivaji as a symbol to malign all Muslims and the Mughals–this makes Shivaji a convtraversial figure in todaus Islamaphic environment in Bharat.
The statue will typify communalism and detracts from the “Indian secdularism” which some support.
Your comments here and elsewhere expose the unerbelly of communal thought in Bharat and simply proves our point.
AURENZEB: Muslim pay 2.5% as “zakat”. Becuase non-Muslims were not required to pay “zakat” they paid “jizya”. All other propoganda against Aurenzeb is just that…a way to malign all Muslims.
The poulation of Hindus under the Mughal grew and did not shirnk. Compare to 15th centure Spain when all Muslims were kiled or converted. The Mughals did not do that to the Hindus. Many Hindus were part and parcel of the Mughal Army and also in the Royal household Dara Shikoh had a Hindu mother.
Thank you for your feedback
Political Islam is against all non-Muslims.
Why should non-Muslims like Shivaji not be against
Political Islam?
Even Muslim historian Khafi Khan has praised Shivaji for his tolerance of other religions and his chivalry.
Aurangzeb destroyed Hindu temples and imposed Jizya taxes on Hindus – Islam requires these actions.
when some body [profanity deleted} the happiness of muslims . they call all names . very easy for muslim cry babies. its afzal khan who had dagger and shivaji had wagh nakha . he out smarted muslim hooligan by disemboweling ho ho ho. so get your records straight. moin you are a pig notghing else. your wish list to uncle sam shows how you pakis[tani] are living in [abuse deleted] called [abuse deleted] where americans [abuse deleted] and you eat it hot..
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Thank you for your feedback,valuable insight and documentation. It is a pleasure to get good facts. We have already modified the narrative to reflect your information (pls provide sources and citations and full name–if you want to be credited by name).
Shivajee opposed the Mughal Empire on religious and political grounds. He is a hero in “secular” India for his “guerilla warfare” against the Muslim king. For most neutral historians, Shivjee was a simple terrorist. There are some Muslims in the BJP also. Tokenism means nothing.The religion of some fringe elements of Aurenzeb’s mighty empire who joined the terror gangs is not material.
The fact remains that Shivji the darling of the Hinduvata should not be honored in a secular state. Of course India is another matter.
The world is very aware of “secular” Indians, like Nehru and Indira, and religious one like Mohandas. At least with the BJP and Advani the world knows what it is getting. With the others its Shivaji’s motto “baghal main churi, moon peh Ram Ram”. This is how Shivaji stabbed the Mughal emperor’s emissary..during an embrace, in the back!
Dude i like your articles & i know india is not secular at all but Shivaji was secular unlike brahmin thackerey’s shivsena or hindu BJP,Congress,RSS etc.
His fight was not for hindu kingdom as painted by hindu fanatics.
His most trusted general in all his campaigns was Haider Ali Kohari; Darya Sarang was chief of armory; Ibrahim Khan and Daulat Khan were prominent in the navy; and Siddi Ibrahim was chief of artillery.
One third of his supporter were MUSLIMS & he had pathans support as well after pashtun rebellion against mughal empire due to failed ECONOMIC policy.
Top officials with him include
1)Siddi halal
2)Siddi wahwah
3)Nurkhan baig
4)Qazi haider
5)Shamakhan
list goes on….
If you know reverse psychology then in your zeal to counter indian fascism you might turn whatever secular hindus are remaining in to typical hindu fanatics as well.