By Imran Ahmed Siddiqui
Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi ruled in the first quarter of fourteenth century around 1303 AD and Malik Muhammad Jayasi wrote his epic or Masnavi ‘Padmavat’ in 1541 AD, how he can said to be the true narrator of an occurrence when he was not there at all or near to the time. As it is said he was a Sufi, ‘pir’ and it was a practice of that time to present and express the message in the language and customs of the area so that it is accepted. Disciples of Dewa Sharif wear colour and clothes akin to Hindu Jogies or Sadhus. Through a folk lore which is always adored, the Sufi conveys messages of divine truth and in Hindu literature and in scriptures all thoughts are expressed in the form of ‘kavita’ narrated in the form of poetic verses. The best such illustration we find in Masnavi Maulana Room.
History repeats and Modi’s BJP is in hurry for the same to symbolize the living edifice Hindu grandeur. As such they have come with another pretext of ‘Padmavati’ to show their thousand years ire and hate in the form of this lore thus to stir the confidence in Hindu masses. The core problem is that they cannot digest anything where any Muslim who dared to capture India and if she is a rani, it is God given opportunity to arouse the hate and animosity against Muslims and gain the political altar.
So, Hindutva wants to rewrite the history but how they can deny Alauddin Khilji his rightful place in Indian history is their obligation? This is a limit of bigotry and timidity, where even the Hindu intelligentsia accepts that Padmavati is folk lore but are adamant to accept the reality. If Alauddin Khilji the Muslim King of Delhi invaded fort of Chittorgarh the abode of Pamavati. What’s wrong in it is difficult to understand, as it was prevalent in the war in those days? They should be happy the end of the epic and respect showed by Jayasi that Padmavati goes voluntary and lays herself aside the dead body of her husband to be burned alive along with him. Hindus must respect her as she was a brave woman as we find the end of the epic.
In this backdrop one can visualize why this hue and cry against Pakistan in India. This is the mindset of Hindutva in which they hate Muslim presence in India, but what to do with the annals of history which are very cruel. They want to rewrite the history but in this global village, now it is impossible. They want to annihilate Pakistan but the problem is the piles of nukes are equal and in some case Pakistani nukes are better in performance and reach. So the available option with them is to destabilize us internally. Earmarking 500 million dollars for this purpose in Baluchistan is a naked example.
Hindutva is so tuned to create a story against Muslims in India that they forget all norms of civilized society. Babri Mosque where they found Krishna and came out with a fake research that it was a Vishnu temple on whose foundation Babri Mosque was raised. Even their Supreme Court did not agree with their arguments and agreed on equal share of Muslims in the Babri mosque compound. They could not present some concrete evidence to win their hypothesis.
The problem with the Indian thinkers is that they disagree with the tenants of historical facts which are not based on wishful thinking. Today we see Daesh, Taliban and other groups assembling on the eastern borders of Afghanistan and create mischief and terrorism inside Pakistan. By the Grace of Allah, Pakistan dealt them well so far and capable to keep these mischief mongers at bay. If you contemplate in the perspective of history, the old time invaders or lashkars had this shape of entering in India. But irony of history and good luck for them is the new phenomenon, which is Pakistan. Today, in between history and India is Pakistan, who while safe guarding its western frontiers is saving India indirectly, otherwise these groups would have reached Delhi by now adopting the course of history.
Hindutva has so much venom against Muslims that its Chief Minister of Uttar Pardesh has disowned Taj Mahal which was once, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. They have boycotted in every affair with us. Entire Hindu literature and mythology is fraught with ‘shashters’ where female is not revered in that way which is ordained in Islam and Islamic teaching. They have become crazy that why a Muslim was attracted towards Padmavati and presented on cinema screen by Bansali. If there would have been a Hindu Raja, which had been the practice they would have digested rather enjoyed. But a Muslim, why? It is not acceptable in Hindutva and Hindutva wants to take revenge – a revenge which is spread over a thousand years of Muslim rule. The anger is multiplied as soon as they Bharat in 1947 but the time is short, opportunities are created to quench the thirst of centuries old revenge, but the lust of satisfying revenge has dimensions and serious hurdles and one such hurdle is Pakistan which is very difficult to negotiate on the likes and dislikes of Modi, the ring master Hindutva circus. So, as far as Hindutva persists we will be seeing more and more Padmavat – repentances or impasses.