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Marathas were not Hindu nationalists, just greedy Indian Mongols, Aakar Patel article sparks controversy - sample tweets

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Ex-journalist and Amnesty India head Aakar Patel's Sunday coulmn in  TOI has triggered a controversy.  Commenting on the movie Baji Rao Mastani, he says it is wrong to think that Marathas -- though they fought against Mughals for long -- stood for Hindu nationalism.  Marathas were mobile warriors, who made a living by attacking other kingdoms, to extract chauth or a levy amounting to one-fourth of the vanquished state's revenue.
A Hindutva poster of Bajirao Peshwa - Aakar Patel refutes popular notion 


December 20, 2015, NewsCrunch

Ex-journalist and Amnesty India head Aakar Patel's Sunday coulmn in  TOI has triggered a controversy.

Commenting on the movie Baji Rao Mastani, he says it is wrong to think that Marathas -- though they fought against Mughals for long -- stood for Hindu nationalism.

Marathas were mobile warriors, who made a living by attacking other kingdoms, to extract chauth or a levy amounting to one-fourth of the vanquished state's revenue.

Like Mongols, Marathas rode on their horses, left no permanent settlements behind - just attacked, plundered and took their chauth, says Aakar Patel.

They could be particularly brutal in their intimidation.  They had no qualms in raping women or in killing pregnant women and infants.

They did not discriminate kingdoms or people on the basis of their religion. Everyone was  a target as long as chauth and rape was concerned, notes Aakar Patel.

It was under Maratha pressure, Jaipur king Ishwari Singh commited suicide by taking poison in December 1750. The popular king's death prompted Rajputs to rebel against Marathas and slaughter them.

Marathas started establishing their kingdoms only after the decline of the Mughals.

The article generated considerable heat among those who hail Marathas as icons of Hindu nationalism.










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