The recent uproar over Rajput king Rana Sanga, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has laid bare how leaders are excavating historical figures and events to settle modern-day political scores and has turned the Parliament from a space for legislation into a battleground where history is the victim.
On Friday, Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman’s described Rana Sanga as a "traitor" and triggered a political firestorm in the Lok Sabha.
Suman’s claim that the Rajput king invited Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi was enough for the ruling BJP to erupt in fury, leading to a Rajya Sabha adjournment for nearly 30 minutes.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called Rana Sanga a "national hero" and slammed Suman’s remarks as "highly disparaging and objectionable."
Rana Sanga, also known as Maharana Sangram Singh, was a Rajput ruler of Mewar, a region in present-day south central Rajasthan, India. Rana Sanga is known for his role in uniting various Rajput clans to fight against the expanding Mughal Empire.
Aurangzeb, Sambhaji, and the Maharashtra meltdown
Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor and son of Shah Jahan, expanded the Mughal empire to its greatest extent. Sambhaji Bhosale, the Maratha Empire’s second Chhatrapati and son of Shivaji, fiercely resisted his expansion. Known for his bravery, he played a key role in defending the Maratha realm against Aurangzeb’s campaigns.
In Maharashtra, the release of Chhaava, a film about Sambhaji’s execution by Aurangzeb in 1689, triggered communal unrest.
Hindutva groups called for the demolition of Aurangzeb’s tomb, leading to violence in Nagpur on March 17.
On March 26, the controversy spilled into Parliament, where Shiv Sena leader Naresh Mhaske fanned the flames.
During a discussion on The Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025, Mhaske declared, "Just like Aurangzeb imposed jizya to destroy Hindus, Congress and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray's faction have hollowed out Maharashtra with endless scams."
The INDIA bloc, already on the defensive over the violence, faced fresh accusations of being "Aurangzeb admirers."
Modi as Shivaji?
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630–1680) was the founder of the Maratha Empire in western India. His legacy as a ruler is celebrated across India, especially in Maharashtra, where he is revered as a hero and a symbol of resistance.
Speaking in Parliament on March 17, BJP MP Pradeep Purohit recounted an encounter with a saint who allegedly revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Shivaji in his past life.
Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad slammed Purohit, calling the comparison an insult to Shivaji’s legacy. The backlash spread online, with netizens accusing the BJP of exploiting historical icons for political gain.
Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati
Alauddin Khilji was the second and most powerful ruler of the Khilji dynasty, which ruled the Delhi Sultanate. His forces also defeated the Mongols multiple times, preventing their invasion of India.
According to legend, he was infatuated with Rani Padmini, the queen of Chittorgarh, though historical accuracy of this is debated.
Rani Padmini, also known as Padmavati, was a Rajput queen whose story is known through Padmavat, a 16th-century epic poem by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. She was the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh, the Rajput ruler of Mewar.
In 2017, two BJP MPs from Rajasthan, C.P. Joshi and Om Birla, filed a plea in Parliament over the "objectionable" content in Padmavati, a Bollywood film based on the legendary Rajput queen.
The Lok Sabha Committee on Petitions took up the matter, amplifying the controversy.
Various Rajput groups and right-wing outfits protested against the film, driven by rumours of a romantic dream sequence between Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji—claims that filmmakers denied. Protesters alleged that the movie "distorted" history and hurt public sentiments.
The row escalated, with chief ministers from BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat voicing their displeasure over the alleged misrepresentation of historical facts. Even Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh (then with the Congress) opposed the film’s release.
The latest controversy stems from Waghya, a dog. Some claim that the dog belonged to Shivaji, while others debate it. But now it has led to a conflict between Maratha and Dhangar caste in Maharashtra.
Former MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, a descendant of Shivaji, has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis urging him to remove a statue of Waghya, while the Dhangar community has objected to his demands.