Controversy Erupts Over Aurangzeb's Legacy as BJP's Sangeet Som Calls for Temple Reclamation

Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som has reignited the debate on 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s legacy, calling for Hindus to reclaim and rebuild temples destroyed during his reign. Som criticized the courts and Congress, urging for the removal of Aurangzeb's influence from public spaces.

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Uttar Pradesh, Sangeet Som, stirred controversy on Wednesday with his remarks regarding Aurangzeb, the 17th-century Mughal ruler. Som's comments emerge amid ongoing debates about Aurangzeb's legacy, focusing on his treatment of Hindus.

Highlighting the destruction of the Kashi temple in Varanasi and the Mathura temple, key symbols of Hindu faith, Som argued against Aurangzeb's actions, suggesting that Hindus should reclaim and reconstruct these temples without court intervention. Speaking to ANI, he dismissed the legitimacy of legal authority, citing the temples' demolitions as examples of Aurangzeb's unchecked power.

This comes as legal disputes linger over the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and the Krishna Janmabhoomi issue in Mathura, with Som holding Aurangzeb accountable for past atrocities against Hindus. The discourse around Aurangzeb's legacy has intensified calls to erase his name from public spaces, with BJP and RSS figures emphasizing the irrelevance of Aurangzeb in contemporary India, warning against the persistence of his ideology.

(With inputs from agencies.)