Indian politician distorts history; calls Hindu king Rana Sanga 'traitor', downplays atrocities committed on Hindus by Islamic tyrants like Babur
New Delhi, Delhi, India 
20 March, 2025
Case Summary
Samajwadi Party leader Ramji Lal Suman caused a controversy by making disparaging remarks about the revered Rajput king Rana Sanga, labelling him a 'traitor'. When faced with widespread outrage from the Hindu community, he remained defiant, refusing to apologise. During a speech in the Rajya Sabha on 21st March, Suman asserted that Indian Muslims did not regard Babur as their ideal but instead followed Muhammad Saheb and the Sufi tradition. He provocatively questioned, “They follow Muhammad Saheb and the Sufi tradition. However, I want to ask, who brought Babur here? It was Rana Sanga who invited Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodhi. So, if that’s the case, then Hindus must be descendants of the traitor Sanga. We criticize Babur, but why do we not criticize Rana Sanga?” He further elaborated, “Rana Sanga invited Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. He had the misconception that Babur was a robber, and that he would go back, and Rana Sanga would rule, but Babur declared himself the ruler of Hindustan and refused to leave.” His remarks sparked immense outrage, particularly among Rajput groups and Hindu organisations. Furious over what they saw as an insult to a heroic ruler, Karni Sena activists staged protests, even storming Suman’s residence in Agra and damaging vehicles and other property. Karni Sena chief Suraj Pal Singh Amu condemned Suman’s statements, asserting that he had insulted a warrior who fought valiantly against the Mughals. He demanded an immediate apology from both Ramji Lal Suman and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Despite the widespread backlash, Suman remained unapologetic, defiantly declaring, "I will not apologise in this life. I do not know about the next one." Reacting strongly to Suman’s remarks, Dr Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, National General Secretary of the BJP, denounced the comments in Rajya Sabha, accusing him of deliberately maligning the legacy of Rana Sanga. Mohan further said, “We will not compromise on this issue until Congress and Ramji Sumanji apologise.“ Amid the escalating controversy, Suman attempted to shift the narrative, highlighting instances of Muslim assistance to Hindu pilgrims. He claimed that during the Mahakumbh Mela stampede, it was Muslims who came forward to help Hindu devotees, offering them shelter. He said, “For a long time, there has been an effort to create tension between Hindus and Muslims… We come from ‘Ganga-Jamuni’ traditions… During Maha Kumbh, when the stampede happened, it was Muslim families who took the devotees in and took care of them. We should not do anything to disrespect the religious sentiments of anyone.” His comments and refusal to apologise have further deepened the controversy, drawing sharp reactions from various political and religious groups. Congress leader Malikarjun Kharge reacted to this dispute and tried to give it a casteist angle. He said, “None have the right to take law and order into their hands and break into an MP’s house and resort to vandalism. Such anti-Dalit actions will not be tolerated.”
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of- Hate speech against Hindus. Under this the first sub-category selected is- Mocking/denigrating Hindu leaders. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Religious leaders are often seen as representatives of the community, especially, the community’s religious faith and beliefs. Mocking or denigrating a religious leader specifically owing to his religious identity and/or the religious rituals he observes can be considered hate speech because the motivating factor of the speech is animosity and/or dislike for what he represents – the religious beliefs and faith of the community. It is important to note that mere insulting words against an individual do not constitute hate speech. It is entirely possible that insulting words are used for an individual, however, the specific speech is not the result of religious hate and/or animosity towards the professed faith of the religious leader, but the individual himself. For the speech to be considered hate speech, the speech itself or the motivating factor behind the speech has to be religious in nature. Such speech which denigrates Hindu religious leaders specifically owing to animosity towards the faith they profess and the community faith they represent will be treated as hate speech under this category. The second sub-category selected is- Subversion of scriptures. Subverting the religious scriptures of Hindus has particularly devastating consequences. Subversion of the scriptures of Hindus is often done to justify or promote hatred, discrimination, or violence against specific individuals or groups of Hindus. Religious scriptures are often nuanced and those who harbour religious animosity towards Hindus often misquote or misrepresent the scripture to legitimise their animosity and hate towards the faith and its adherents. Any such misquoting of scriptures or subversion to justify hate, violence and discrimination against Hindus owing to religious animosity is hate speech and is categorised as such. In this instance, Samajwadi Party leader Ramji Lal Suman made disparaging remarks about the revered Rajput king Rana Sanga, labelling him a 'traitor'. The SP leader's remarks deliberately malign and denigrate the legacy of Rana Sanga, a revered Hindu warrior who fiercely resisted Mughal invaders. By branding him a traitor, Suman not only insulted a historical figure deeply respected within the Hindu community but also sought to distort history in a way that vilifies Hindus and their leaders. His statements reflect an intentional subversion of historical narratives, aligning with broader attempts to undermine Hindu identity and rewrite history to suit an anti-Hindu agenda. Moreover, his comments were not made in an isolated context; rather, they were delivered in a way that incited resentment against Hindus, portraying their historical figures as betrayers while downplaying the atrocities committed by Islamic tyrants like Babur. This calculated attack on Hindu heritage, coupled with his defiant refusal to apologise, underscores the malicious intent behind his words, making it a clear case of hate speech against Hindus. His remarks not only foster communal discord but also contribute to the systematic erasure and distortion of Hindu historical narratives, thereby warranting this incident's inclusion in the Hinduphobia tracker under the designated categories. It is also important to highlight here that Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's remark further reinforces the disregard for Hindus and their faith by attempting to divert attention from an attack on a revered Hindu figure to a caste-based narrative. Instead of condemning Ramji Lal Suman’s derogatory remarks about Rana Sanga, Kharge portrayed the backlash as an anti-Dalit action, thereby dismissing the genuine outrage of Hindus. This deflection tactic shields Suman from accountability and fits into a broader pattern where Hindu concerns are trivialised. By refusing to acknowledge the disrespect towards Hindu heritage, Kharge's response validates and emboldens anti-Hindu narratives, solidifying Congress’s long-standing pattern of undermining Hindu identity for political gain.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
