Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday defended party MP Ramjilal Suman’s controversial remark calling Rajput warrior Rana Sanga a “traitor,” stating that citing historical events should not spark outrage. The remark, made during a speech in the Rajya Sabha on March 21, has triggered a fierce political row.
SP leader Ramjilal Suman had argued that if Muslims are repeatedly labelled as descendants of Babur, then Hindus must accept being descendants of Rana Sanga—“the traitor” who, according to him, invited Babur to India to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. “Indian Muslims do not consider Babur their idol. They follow the Prophet and Sufi traditions,” Suman said. “But who brought Babur here? Rana Sanga. So why don’t we criticise him?”
As the BJP launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party over the remarks, Akhilesh Yadav came out in support of his party colleague. “Everyone is flipping through the pages of history. Ask BJP leaders which pages they are turning. They want to talk about Aurangzeb,” Yadav said. “If Ramjilal Suman ji has referred to a page in history that contains certain facts, then what’s the issue? We didn’t write history 200 years ago.”
Drawing parallels with historical injustices, Yadav also cited Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation, where, according to some accounts, he was anointed using the toe of a left foot. “If BJP respects Shivaji Maharaj, will they apologise for this insult?” he questioned. He also referenced Galileo’s punishment by the Church, adding that centuries later, the Church had apologised for its mistake.
Reacting sharply, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused Yadav of indulging in appeasement politics. “Supporting his MP for calling the great warrior Rana Sanga a traitor is an insult to the Rajput community and the entire Hindu society,” Malviya said. He also condemned other recent SP comments on the Maha Kumbh, labelling them as signs of the party’s “anti-Hindu mentality.”
Who Was Rana Sanga?
Rana Sanga (1472–1528), or Maharana Sangram Singh, ruled Mewar and is remembered as a formidable Rajput warrior. He united Rajput clans to resist the Delhi Sultanate and later confronted Babur at the historic Battle of Khanwa in 1527. Though defeated due to Babur’s superior tactics and artillery, Rana Sanga remains an enduring symbol of Rajput valour and resistance against foreign domination.
