Writer Javed Akhtar on Sunday took on a user on X over alleged similarities, or differences, between the Mughal rule in India and the establishment of the Jewish state of Israel in the Middle East largely by displacing the Palestinians.
The user made a succinct and sarcastic post, “Jews are occupiers in Jerusalem but Mughals are natives in Mathura – Jihadi Logic,” apparently saying that if Jews are termed occupiers, the Mughals should be called that too.
Javed Akhtar, in his reply, told the user, “You must have been a very bad student of not only history but mathematics too.”
He argued, “If you can’t find the difference between almost three (and) a half centuries of medieval times and 75 years of 20th century you should go back to the school.”
The Mughals rules over large parts of the Indian subcontinent up to the arrival of the British East India Company in the mid-18th century.
As for Israel, the state as such was established only in 1948, with wars expanding its boundaries since then – the latest being its planned takeover of the West Bank and Gaza, the two main Palestinian territories that remained relatively self-governing.
Akhtar also addressed the communal overtone in the user’s X post, telling them they needed “a lesson or two (in) secularism too, which means keeping equal distance from all kind of religious/communal biases”.
“But then it needs some guts,” he added.
Javed Akhtar, who often challenges communalism and religious dogma in his posts and speeches, consistently receives brickbats from the right wings of both Hindu and Muslim communities. He claims to be consistent in his approach.
