Akhilesh Yadav defends Ramjilal Suman’s ‘Rana Sanga traitor’ remark | India News
NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday defended his party leader’s “Rana Sanga a traitor” remark, saying that referring to a page in “history should not be an issue”.
A massive controversy erupted after SP Rajya Sabha MP Ramjilal Suman on March 21 called Rajput warrior Rana Sanga a “traitor” and Hindus his descendent.
Attacking the rival BJP, Suman argued that “if Muslims are called the descendants of Babur, then Hindus must be the descendants of traitor Rana Sanga”.
During his speech in Parliament, Suman had said, “Indian Muslims do not consider Babur as their idol. They follow Prophet Muhammad and the Sufi tradition. But I want to ask, who brought Babur here? It was Rana Sanga who invited Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi.
“So, if Muslims are called the descendants of Babur, then Hindus must be the descendants of traitor Rana Sanga. We criticise Babur, but why don’t we criticise Rana Sanga?”
As the BJP continued to mount an attack on the Samajwadi leader, Akhilesh Yadav came out in Suman’s defence, saying: “Everyone is flipping through the pages of history. Ask BJP leaders which pages they are turning. What are they debating? They want to talk about Aurangzeb.”
“If Ramjilal Suman ji has referred to a page in history that contains certain facts, then what’s the issue? We didn’t write history 200 years ago,” the SP chief said, according to news agency PTI.
“If BJP continues to flip through history, people will also remember that during Chhatrapati Shivaji‘s coronation, no one anointed him by hand. It is said that he was anointed using the toe of a left foot. Will the BJP condemn this today?” he said.
He further added: “Galileo was punished for his scientific assertion, and centuries later, the Church apologised for its mistake. If the BJP respects Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will they apologise for the fact that he was anointed with a left foot toe?”
Hitting back, BJP leader Amit Malviya said Yadav, “who indulges in appeasement, is supporting his MP Ramji Lal for calling the great warrior Rana Sanga a traitor. This is an insult not only to the Rajput community but to the entire Hindu community”.
“The distorted comments being made on the Maha Kumbh were also no exception but are an indication of the petty anti-Hindu mentality of the SP, due to which the people of Uttar Pradesh have pushed the SP to the lowest rung of the state’s politics,” he said.
Who is Rana Sanga?
Rana Sanga (1472–1528), also known as Maharana Sangram Singh, was the Rajput ruler of Mewar and a prominent warrior king of medieval India. He united various Rajput clans to resist foreign invasions and expanded his kingdom significantly. Known for his bravery, he fought multiple battles, including against the Delhi Sultanate and the Lodis.
His most famous battle was against Babur in 1527 at Khanwa, where he led a massive Rajput alliance but was ultimately defeated due to Babur’s superior tactics and artillery. Despite his loss, Rana Sanga remains a symbol of Rajput valour and resistance against foreign rule in India.
