VIEW POINT ;
Dalhousie road in New Delhi renamed as Dara Shukoh road !
There is politics to naming and renaming entities in public spaces. It reinforces stereotypes. By pitting Dara Shukoh against Aurangzeb and creating a dichotomy of ‘acceptable’ and non acceptable’ Muslim historic figures, the Hindu nationalists are trying to establish a norm and an order. Apart from communalization of history by vilifying Mughal rulers like Aurangzeb through painting them as bigot zealots and cruel, such selective favoring of Muslims is also in effect setting up a litmus test for the country as to who will qualify as “acceptable”. By revisiting the life and ideas of Dara Shukoh one can reflect if the very ideas of Dara Shukoh that are cited as the reason for honoring him are being respected in India today.

In the atmosphere where Hindu religion is hailed to be supreme over all other religions, does the idea of pluralism as understood by Dara Shukoh figure in the policies formulated by the State? By making yoga mandatory for example, does the State remember Dara Shukoh’s doctrine of liberal philosophy and different ways or religions lead to one God? Didn’t he fight the very bigotry that we witness in India today? How does the cow become so holy and people are killed and beaten up for it that it is forgotten that Dara Shukoh emphasized on looking beyond superficial symbols of religion but to focus on commonalities between religions? Do the ideas of Dara Shukoh really resonate in way culture is explained and understood by the State? If not then renaming a street in the honor of Dara Shukoh is only a tainted hollow political gesture.[Progressive interactions].