Aurangzeb Row Sparks Political Firestorm in Bihar as JD(U), BJP, and AIMIM Clash Over Mughal Legacy

Patna: The debate over Aurangzeb, which surfaced in the Maharashtra Assembly, has now ignited political tensions in Bihar. On Wednesday, JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar remarked that historians have differing opinions about the Mughal emperor, stating that “Aurangzeb was a good ruler and not as cruel as he is often portrayed.”

His comments have drawn strong reactions from both the BJP and his own party, JD(U). BJP MLA Hari Bhushan Thakur Bachaul called for Anwar’s membership to be revoked, stating, “Anyone glorifying Aurangzeb or Babar should be expelled from the country. Aurangzeb was a tyrant who imprisoned his father, massacred Hindus, and executed his own brother to gain power.”

Bachaul further remarked, “A man who denied water to his own father has no place in India. If people with such views exist in Bihar, they should move to Pakistan or face damnation.”

JD(U) MLA Dr Sanjeev Kumar also condemned Anwar’s statement, asserting that his party respects all religions but does not endorse Aurangzeb. “If any MLA or MLC praises Aurangzeb, they should be sent to Pakistan or Bangladesh. If they still do not change, they should be exiled to Ghazi Patti. I strongly oppose such views.”

The controversy has further intensified with AIMIM’s lone Bihar MLA, Akhtarul Iman, joining the debate. Iman went a step further than Anwar, describing Aurangzeb as the “architect of undivided India.” Speaking to reporters in Patna on Thursday, he accused the BJP of indulging in divisive politics.

“Aurangzeb was a great emperor who lived modestly, earning his livelihood by stitching caps. Unlike the British, he did not plunder India but served it. He expanded India’s borders from Afghanistan to Myanmar, creating what was essentially ‘Akhand Bharat.’ He saw temples and mosques as equal,” Iman said, urging the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the matter.