Lagatar24 Desk
Nagpur: Amid renewed debate over Mughal legacy and recent communal tensions, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Sunday questioned why Dara Shikoh, the liberal-minded Mughal prince, was never embraced as a hero by advocates of Ganga-Jamuni culture. His remarks come in the backdrop of unrest in Nagpur, where protests erupted over demands to remove Aurangzeb’s grave.
At a press conference, Hosabale condemned the glorification of historical figures he described as being “against India’s ethos”. Citing the renaming of Delhi’s Aurangzeb Road to Abdul Kalam Road, he pointed out the stark contrast between Aurangzeb and his brother Dara Shikoh. “Why was Dara Shikoh never made a hero?” he asked. “Those who promote Ganga-Jamuni culture never chose to bring him forward.”
Hosabale urged people to re-evaluate whom the nation chooses to commemorate. “Are we going to iconize someone who was against the ethos of India, or are we going to go with those who worked according to the traditions of this land?” he said.
Who Was Dara Shikoh?
The eldest son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Dara Shikoh is remembered as a proponent of interfaith harmony. Unlike his brother Aurangzeb, Dara embraced philosophical inquiry and spiritual exploration, seeking unity between Hindu and Islamic traditions. His notable works, including Majma-ul-Bahrain and Sirr-i-Akbar, translated the Upanishads into Persian and attempted to bridge religious divides. Crowned as heir in 1655, he was defeated and eventually killed by Aurangzeb in 1659.
Hosabale contrasted India’s colonial and pre-colonial struggles, stating, “If the freedom fighting is done against Britishers, then it is a freedom fight. The fight against those who were before them was also a freedom movement. What Maharana Pratap did was fight for freedom.”
He added that those with an “invader mentality” remain a danger to the country and called for a cultural alignment with figures representing India’s civilisational values. “This is not about religion. This is RSS’s firm view,” he said.
His comments follow communal tensions in Nagpur on March 17, where demands to remove Aurangzeb’s grave led to unrest. Clashes escalated amid rumours of desecration of a religious text, though the situation has since stabilised and curfew orders have been lifted.
