‘No Hindus would have remained in India’ if Muslims had opposed Mughal rule: ex-judge sparks row

Vasantha Mulasavalagi, a former district judge, sparked debate in the state by asserting that Hindus in India survived because their Muslim overlords tolerated them. ‘There wouldn’t have been a single Hindu in India if Muslims had resisted them during the Mughal era. All Hindus may have been murdered. Why do Muslims still make up a minority even though they governed over for centuries? ‘,asked Mulasavalagi.

The retired judge delivered the contentious remarks during a lecture in the state metropolis of Vijayapura headlined ‘Have the Constitution’s Goals Been Achieved?’ Social internet users shared the statement widely. On Thursday, Raastreeya Souharda Vedike and other groups organised the seminar.

‘Those who argue that Muslims have done this and that, must realise what 700 years of Muslim sovereignty in India indicates,’ he remarked. ‘ The wife of Mughul king Akbar stayed a Hindu and did not convert to Islam. In his courtyard, Akbar erected a Krishna temple. People may now see this as well, ‘,he stated. He said, ‘Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, two Hindu deities, are only fictional characters in a book. They are not historical figures’. The former judge said that the true historical figure was the Ashoka monarch.

‘Buddha images have been carved onto Shivlings in Uttarakhand. A petition was submitted in this respect by the Buddhist adherents. Temples allegedly become mosques through conversion. Emperor Ashoka constructed 84,000 Buddha viharas before temples were created. They moved, but where? Throughout the years, it had occurred. Could it become a significant issue?’  asked Vasantha Mulasavalagi.

The constitution’s goals are precise and well-defined. As the institution struggles to achieve the constitution’s goals, concerns are raised. To put a stop to this, the younger generation needs to become alert and proactive, he insisted. In 1999, a legislation was passed to preserve the status quo and leave the mosques, churches, and temples in their current condition.

‘We need to consider the situation in the present. We shouldn’t turn around and leave. We must appropriately raise our voices’, he continued. Another retired judge, Arali Nagaraj, said that each candidate should sign an affidavit stating that they will not switch parties if they win the election. ‘Such a legislation must be created. The country had higher levels of patriotism before Independence. Selfishness currently rules, ‘ he added.