Jats demand renaming Agra museum after Maharaja Surajmal, note Shivaji's role

Ever since Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assumed charge in Uttar Pradesh, he made several headlines for his controversial decision to replace Muslim names of several cities and districts with Hindu names, in order to “restore the Hindu supremacy” in the State. However, this time he may have invited trouble by renaming the under-construction Mughal museum in Agra to Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum, in an attempt to curb the city’s Mughal heritage.

The Uttar Pradesh Jat Mahasabha has strongly opposed to the “illogical” renaming of the Mughal museum, claiming that Shivaji’s brief stay in an Agra prison did nothing for the city, while mighty Jat ruler Maharaja Surajmal and his renowned son Raja Jawahar Singh, wiped out the Mughal empire from the entire Braj region. They demanded the museum be renamed as Maharaja Surajmal Museum and not Shivaji Museum.

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The prominence of Jat rule in Agra

Shailraj Singh, the president of the Jat Mahasabha, said the Jat community is not against the Marathas and Shivaji, but they should remember that Maharaja Surajmal gave them refuge after losing the Battle of Panipat. The ruler saved Maratha women and children from dying in the wilderness due to the lack of food and water, he said. Later on, they were sent back to Maharashtra under the guard of Jat warriors.

Maharaja Surajmal and his son Raja Jawahar Singh defeated the Mughals and ruled Agra from 1761 to 1774. He fought many battles to save the Braj region from invaders, he added.

Shailraj Singh said a delegation of Jat community leaders will soon meet CM Yogi Adityanath and appeal to rename the proposed museum after Maharaja Surajmal who played a major role in the history of Agra, while Shivaji had a very small role if any.

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‘Hatred towards Muslim leaders’

The Chief Minister’s decision also received retort from Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad, which stated that CM Adityanath does not shy away from openly expressing his hatred against Muslim rulers. Sami Aghai, Chairman of BMVP said if the CM wants to deny everything that Mughals did for Agra, he should stop taking money from its monuments too. He went on to say that the Chief Minister may change the name of the museum, but he cannot deny that Agra gained prominence only under the Mughals, who made it their capital.

Sami noted that Agra is known internationally because of the Taj Mahal, and such other Mughal monuments, Agra would be just another Class-C town of the country.

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