Rana Pratap, Shivaji Maharaj is a national hero, not Aurangzeb: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Bust of Maharana Pratap held on Friday, April 18, 2025 in Chatrapati Sambhajinagar. |Picture source: ANI

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are national heroes, not Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

Mr Singh spoke at the event after unveiling the life-sized statue of Mewar ruler in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, Mr Singh also said those who glorified Aurangzeb or Babur insulted Muslims in the country.

“Maharana Pratap is a microcosm of courage and patriotism … Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj draws inspiration from Maharana Pratap, especially for guerrilla strategies,” Singh said.

Senior BJP leaders claim that post-independence historians do not have left-leaning historians who attribute Rana Pratap and Shivaji Maharaj to Aurangzeb.

“Those who think Aurangzeb is a hero should have read Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who wrote that the Mughal Emperor was a paranoid, cruel ruler,” Singh said.

Mr. Singh further said that such a person cannot be a hero. The Union Minister of Defense added: “Dara Shikoh translated the Upanishads and Aurangzeb murdered him. Dara Shikoh respected all religions.”

Mr Singh further stated that Maharana Pratap sacrificed his life to maintain his self-esteem and challenged the dominance of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

He said that besides his example of bravery, Maharana Pratap unites all parts of society.

The union minister said neither Rana Pratap nor Shivaji Maharaj were anti-Muslims.

Singh said it is our moral responsibility to remove historical injustice and told the youth of the country that Maharana Pratap and Shivaji Maharaj are not limited to history books, but are sources of inspiration.

Mr Singh also asked what was wrong with renaming Aurangabad to chhatrapati sambhajinagar and Aurangzeb Road in Delhi as APJ Abdul Kalam Road.

He said: “Glory Babur, Temer, Olanzeb, Goli, Gaznavi will not get any Muslims vote. Those who praise these people are insulting Indian Muslims.”

Singh said that for the BJP, all Indians were equal and without discrimination, adding: “We have learned this from our ancestors.” It is worth noting that Aurangzeb (1618-1707) has recently become a problem in Maharashtra politics when some right-wing leaders demanded the cancellation of his tomb in Kuldabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.