Mughal Tolerance vs. British Brutality in India❖ The Compassion and Religious Tolerance of Mughal Rulers
The Mughal rulers governed India for 330 years, and their rule was based on religious tolerance, justice, and fairness. Numerous reliable historical sources and even Hindu historians testify that the Mughals never attempted to forcefully convert people and always respected the beliefs of their subjects.
❖ Authentic References
Professor Ram Prasad Ghosla writes in his book "Mughal Kingship and Nobility":
"The Mughal rulers always gave importance to justice and religious tolerance. During their reign, the public was content, and there was never any attempt to force the subjects to change their religion. Even Aurangzeb did not make Islam a condition for employment."
(Reference: Mughal Kingship and Nobility)
Parmatha Saran, in his book "Provincial Governments Under the Mughals", states:
"The Mughal government was counted among the greatest governments of the world. It united Hindus and Muslims and protected their rights. It was a model of stability, justice, and wisdom."
(Reference: Provincial Governments Under the Mughals)
❖ The Arrival of the British and the Conspiracy in India
This very tolerance of the Mughals became an opportunity for the British. Under the guise of trade, the British gradually took control of India and dismantled the Mughal Empire. After this, a brutal era of oppression began, which has been documented by many historians.
❖ The Rebellion of 1857 and British Atrocities
During the War of Independence in 1857, the Indian people revolted against British imperialism. In retaliation, the British unleashed extreme cruelty.
Sir John, in his book "History of the Sepoy War", writes:
"Even women and children were killed on accusations of rebellion. Villages were burned, people were shot, and corpses were hung in marketplaces. This cruelty became a form of entertainment for the British. For three months, carts filled with corpses roamed the city."
(Reference: History of the Sepoy War, Volume 1)
❖ The Tragic End of Bahadur Shah Zafar and the Royal Family
Even Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, and his family were not spared from British savagery.
British officer Hudson captured Bahadur Shah Zafar’s sons, stripped them, shot them, and presented their severed heads before the emperor. Upon seeing the heads of his sons, Bahadur Shah Zafar said:
"الحمد للہ، تیمور کی اولاد ایسے ہی سرخرو ہو کر باپ کے سامنے آتی ہے۔"
(Reference: "Rise of Christian Power in India" by K.D. Basu, Vol. 5, p. 285)
❖ Atrocities Against Other Princes
The British showed no mercy even to other Mughal princes. Wherever members of the Mughal family were found around Delhi, they were captured and hanged.
- Mirza Qaiser, brother of Shah Alam II, and Mirza Mahmood Shah, who was suffering from illness, were both executed and their bodies displayed publicly.
- Twenty-four other members of the royal family, including Bahadur Shah Zafar’s sons-in-law and nephews, were also executed.
(Reference: Rise of Christian Power in India by K.D. Basu, Vol. 5, p. 285)
❖ Unmatched British Brutality
The way the British Empire dismantled the Mughal rule is unparalleled in history. No such cruelty was ever witnessed during the Mughal era as what occurred after the British takeover.
During British rule, violence and oppression became commonplace, as recorded in numerous historical texts.
