Muslim leader distorts history; falsely links Sambhaji Maharaj’s execution to Manusmriti
Maharashtra, India 
24 March, 2025
Case Summary
Senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Husain Dalwai sparked controversy with his statement linking the brutal execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb to the Manusmriti. Dalwai claimed that the ancient Hindu text had prescribed the method in which Sambhaji was executed. He further remarked that while the Manusmriti had continued to be praised, its stance on women and Dalits needed clarification. However, he refrained from discussing the matter further, citing his religious background as a reason for potential objections. When questioned about his remarks, Dalwai reiterated his claim, stating that Aurangzeb had ordered Sambhaji’s execution but that the method of his killing had been influenced by the Manusmriti. He defended his position by asserting that many historians had made similar claims and invited people to verify the historical accounts. While acknowledging Aurangzeb’s cruelty, he pointed out that the Mughal ruler had been equally ruthless towards his own family, citing the assassination of his brother, Dara Shikoh. Dalwai also directed his criticism towards Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to study Aurangzeb’s history. He argued that Sambhaji’s execution had been carried out in a manner similar to that of Dara Shikoh and that scholars influenced by the Manusmriti had played a role in determining the method of his death. He questioned whether Fadnavis would acknowledge these facts or ignore them for political reasons. Following the backlash, Dalwai attempted to justify his comments by emphasising that both Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj had played a crucial role in building the nation. He insisted that Muslims in Maharashtra held great respect for them and would never seek to insult their legacy.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Hate speech against Hindus. The first sub-category relevant in this case is- Denial or mocking of historical genocide/large scale persecution. Denial or mocking of genocide/large-scale persecution/ethnic cleansing refers to the act of denying or minimizing the fact of the ethnic cleansing and/or genocide and/or religious persecution of Hindus. This often involves denying the scale, mechanisms, religious intent, or even the occurrence of the ethnic cleansing and/or genocide and/or religious persecution of Hindus. Hate speech of this kind involves the dissemination of falsehoods that deny or distort established historical facts or mock the suffering of Hindus by saying that they deserved the persecution, motivated by Hinduphobia. Denying such atrocities is not only about the denial of facts or rewriting/revising history, but it also delegitimises the religiously motivated persecution of Hindus, the religious hate/motivation/animosity that led to the persecution, and dehumanises Hindus as a religious group. Such denial of ethnic cleansing and/or genocide and/or religious persecution of Hindus not only denies the suffering but also paves the way for future/present atrocities and hate speech, inciting prejudice and violence against Hindus. It also provides a justification for violence by delinking religious animosity from religiously motivated crimes committed against Hindus. Since such denial and/or mocking of genocide/ethnic cleansing/atrocities motivated by religious animosity leads to present and future ramifications of creating more hate speech, violence, dehumanisation and delegitimisation, it would be considered hate speech under this category. The second sub-category relevant in this case 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. Husain Dalwai’s statement constitutes hate speech against Hindus due to his deliberate subversion of Hindu scriptures and denial of historical religious persecution. By falsely claiming that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s execution was carried out as per the Manusmriti, he distorts history and shifts the blame from Aurangzeb’s religiously motivated brutality to Hindu texts. This not only erases the reality of Islamic persecution of Hindus but also falsely portrays Hindu scriptures as endorsing such violence, which is a classic tactic of religious defamation. Furthermore, his misrepresentation of the Manusmriti fosters hostility towards Hinduism by painting it as inherently oppressive and violent. This act of scriptural subversion is a form of hate speech, as it manipulates religious texts to justify or incite discrimination against a religious community. By spreading such distortions, Dalwai contributes to the dehumanisation of Hindus and provides a false ideological basis for continued prejudice and hatred against them.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
