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.
Now this man Aakar Patel is asking for trouble! "The Marathas were the Mongols of South Asia". https://t.co/wW5q7anhLo— Garv Se Secular (@GarvSeSecular) December 20, 2015
@sonachele1 We were trying to counter Aakar Patel's arguement. You may look at some of my last tweets :)— Political Baba (@Munna_Returns) December 20, 2015
When Shivaji Utsav started in Bengal by Tagore, British spoke like Aakar Patel. Tagore said they want2divide us. https://t.co/AW2KCYoVcO— SonaChele (@SonaChele1) December 20, 2015
Aakar Patel compares Marathas to the Mongols in today's Toilet paper. Merchant of chutiyapa strikes again.— Arihant (@Pawarihant) December 20, 2015
@dikgaj@maidros78 And, Aakar Patel is trying to judge/measure Marathas with these ideas, which were alien in that era. There he is wrong.— Political Baba (@Munna_Returns) December 20, 2015
@subfusced is there any point in rebutting aakar patel? i mean the whole concept of nation states is a modern one— The Kaipullai (@thekaipullai) December 20, 2015
@Beingsawant haha.. When we do that, we get labelled as #INTOLERANT!Even if we are TRUE.its simple,Chinmay. #PseudoNationalist.#AakarPatel— sushRut.kiNge (@im_sushRut) December 20, 2015
Adding (false) fuel in fire.Take a look @VHPsampark.NOT EXPECTED from @toi. #Bajirao#greatNationalist#AakarPatelpic.twitter.com/dEKNy0fIhg— sushRut.kiNge (@im_sushRut) December 20, 2015