Agartala: A Facebook post by Tripura’s Minister Sudhangshu Das linking Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to modern politics has unleashed a wave of legal action and condemnation, raising questions about the limits of political speech in a diverse state. The Minister of Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD) and Scheduled Castes Welfare has faced accusations of spreading communal hatred, prompting responses from a Muslim organization, political leaders, and an MLA.
In his post, Das stated, “Aurangzeb, who destroyed hundreds of Hindu temples, killed hundreds of Hindus, Marathas, and Sikhs, and brutally murdered the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for refusing to convert to Islam—this Islamic terrorist, bandit, thief, uncivilized, barbaric, beast-like sinner—his ideology is aligned with India’s opposition parties like the Samajwadi Party, Congress, and the Leftists, only to secure the votes of hardcore jihadists.”
“Democratic citizens must understand this eternal truth: how dangerous these parties are for the country,” he added.
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The remarks drew immediate backlash from a Muslim organization named Tripura Insaf Parishad which lodged a case against Das at Irani Police Station in Kailashahar. The group accused him of spreading communal hatred and filed a written FIR demanding legal action.
In a statement, the organization said, “Such statements from a sitting minister are unacceptable and threaten the peace we strive to maintain.” They further alleged that Das violated his constitutional oath by making statements that could incite communal violence between Hindus and Muslims, adding, “His words are a deliberate attempt to disrupt social harmony.”
Meanwhile, Tripura’s Royal Scion and Founder of the TIPRA Motha Party Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma also criticized the minister. He said, “Someone who is swearing on the constitution of India should refrain from making such statements. I am indeed shocked and condemn such language by anyone, let alone those who hold responsible positions in the government.”
Adding to the chorus, Senior Congress leader and MLA of Kailasahar Assembly Constituency Birajit Sinha accused Das of communalism during a media interaction on Sunday. He stated, “As a responsible minister, Sudhangshu Das has tried to heat up the current situation through social media over the past few days.”
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Sinha pointed to a pattern, saying, “He has previously tried to heat up the state’s atmosphere by raising Hindu-Muslim issues. Such behaviour from a responsible minister is deeply concerning. His post was entirely inappropriate—it’s a sensitive matter in a democracy.”
“The state government must take action against Minister Sudhangshu Das for such a post,” he demanded.
However, in response to the criticism Das defended his stance with another Facebook post, stating, “One can sacrifice everything for the truth, but one cannot sacrifice the truth for anything. Therefore, acknowledge the truth and inform the current generation about historical truth so that they do not face danger in the future.” His rebuttal emphasized his belief in revealing what he considers historical facts, despite the controversy.