This article is based on a Twitter thread by @TrueIndology
The issue of the NCERT syllabus excluding a few chapters on Mughal history has been one of the most discussed issues on the internet over the last week. The argument of whether the Mughal history should be removed from the syllabus or whether their barbarous, genocidal crimes should be highlighted and remembered, to avoid repeating the history, is something this article will not address. Instead, this article will address an issue manufactured by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
On the 5th of April Congress MP Shashi Tharoor who is also the author of several books on Indian history, Tweeted an image criticizing the NCERT decision. Another Twitter user @ThePlaycardGirl countered it by saying, “Shashi you need to understand that these Mughal invaders are not Indians.” to which Shashi Tharoor also replied saying, “You are simply wrong. After Babur, every Mughal King was the product of an Indian wife. They knew no other homeland, lived, loved, died & were buried here, spent their resources here, & left their legacies to us Indians.”
From here @TrueIndology comes into the picture. It destroyed Mr. Tharoor’s argument with evidence. It tweeted, “No, YOU are wrong. Which Indian wife? Humayun's mom Mahan Begum was a Persian. Akbar's mom Hamida Banu Begum was a Persian. Aurangzeb's mom Mumtaz Mahal was a Persian. And yes, the Mughals definitely knew of their Turani homeland and dreamed of getting it back. This is why Shahjahan conducted the expensive Balkh invasion at no real profit whatsoever. Even a late Mughal like Aurangzeb considered himself a Turani (Central Asian) and NOT Hindustani (Indian). In fact, Aurangzeb said Hindustanis are naturally inferior and mean. In Aurangzeb's India: Foreign Muslims such as Iranis and Turanis commanded high status and occupied high positions. Mughals looked down upon native convert Indian Muslims for being dark and ugly ( We are talking about people like Puncture Khan Mohammed Zubair). This is why these native Indian Muslims married women from Kashmir so that their children could look fair and pass off as genuine ‘Mughals’.”
With these two tweets, @TrueIndology once again revealed the fallacy of Mr. Tharoor’s claims with proof and historical records.