Bollywood lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar was at the receiving end of criticism on Twitter on Monday after he drew a perverse comparison between citizens of a country to marauding invaders.
In a tweet, Javed said just like Barack Obama, who has Kenyan ancestors, was allowed to contest US elections, similarly, Shah Jahan should also be treated as a citizen of India because his grandmother and mother were Rajputs.
”Obama’s father was a Kenyan his paternal aunts still live in Kenya but since Obama was born in US he had the right to contest the presidential election Shah Jahan was the 5th Gen in India his grand mom n mom were Rajputni ( 75 %blood Rajput) but they call him a foreigner,” Akhtar tweeted.
Obama ‘s father was a Kenyan his paternal aunts still live in Kenya but since Obama was born in US he had the right to contest the presidential election Shah Jahan was the 5th Gen in India his grand mom n mom were Rajputni ( 75 %blood Rajput) but they call him a foreigner.
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) July 26, 2021
However, Akhtar’s preposterous tweet did not sit well with netizens, who schooled the lyricist for his ludicrous comparison between an immigrant and an invader.
Netizens slam Javed Akhtar for likening Shah Jahan with Barack Obama
One Twitter user asked Javed Akhtar to invest in a dictionary since he was unable to distinguish between a foreigner, an immigrant and an invader.
Someone needs to know the difference between a foreigner, an immigrant, and an invader.
— Ratna Bajpai (@ratna_bajpai) July 26, 2021
Invest in a dictionary. It helps.
Another user responded saying Shah Jahan did not become the ruler of the country by the will of people. Rather his ancestors used violence to conquer India and establish their rule. And for this reason, he could not be called a ‘Bhartiya’.
Because he didn’t become the ruler by the will of people. Rather his ancestors forcefully grabbed the power. So yeah we won’t accept them as Bharathiya
— Chandra Sekar (@chandsek) July 26, 2021
Yet another Twitter user said Barack Obama became the US President through democratic process whereas the Mughals reigned supreme with the help of conquest and murder. Obama served his countrymen, while the Mughals ruled, the user said.
Mr. Obama took US Presidency through Democracy…Shah Jahan and Mughals had taken the throne through Conquest and Murder. Obama served His countrymen, Mughals Ruled…there is a vast difference. Having Hindu Wives was not Love of Land, it was Divide and Rule strategy..
— The Other Angle (@meaningless_Twt) July 26, 2021
Another social media user rubbished the claims made by Javed Akhtar that Shah Jahan was 75 per cent Rajput. He pointed out how Shah Jahan and Jehangir harboured hatred for indigenous people and their faith, which was predominantly Hinduism. Shah Jahan ordered demolition of 76 under-construction temple in Varanasi. Similarly, his father Jehangir and his son Aurangzeb were also known for wreaking havoc on Hindus and destroying their temples.
ShahJahan demolished 76 under construction temple of Varanasi. Was he Hindu or had he sympathy in Indian culture!! No..
— Rajan Bhardwaj 🇮🇳 🇦🇫 (@Proud__Indian7) July 26, 2021
He was son of barbarian Jahangir aka Salim who released order to kill Guru ArjunDev just for meeting his son Khusaro. Mughals were not Indians ever. https://t.co/lzPjZllT0l pic.twitter.com/zlfqY1TX7I
Writer and columnist Saket succinctly highlighted how Shah Jahan was not raised as a Rajput and in turn raised an Islamic fanatic in Aurangzeb.
Still Shah Jahan wasn’t raised as a Rajput and in turn raised a fanatic Islamist in Aurangzeb. https://t.co/NGQH8grDUW
— saket साकेत ಸಾಕೇತ್ 🇮🇳 (@saket71) July 26, 2021
It is a historical fact that Mughal rulers, including Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Jehangir and others ordered large-scale persecution of Hindus and destruction of their temples. Yet, Javed Akhtar proceeded to claim Shah Jahan was 75 per cent Rajput and drew a false equivalence with an immigrant and democratically elected leader.
It must be noted that the history books chronicling Mughal history seldom refers to the Rajput wives of Mughals by their Hindu names.
And these atrocities are glorified by the likes of Akhtar as ‘romance’.
