The History-Thieves: Stealing the Muslim past?

At the heart of the Muslim problem in India lies their dramatic history and its ironic twists and turns. The Muslims who once ruled India from Delhi are now slowly but surely sinking into an under-class, lacking economic, political or media power. They only have memories of the past to remind them of their dignity, identity and achievements, their sense of self and worth. This, too, is under threat by those who would steal their history.

Of the many historical monuments created by the Muslims probably the most famous are the Taj Mahal in Agra and, in Delhi, the Qutub Minar, the Red Fort and the Jamia Masjid. The Muslim inspiration and source of their creation have never been in doubt. But extremist groups are claiming the first two, with a long list of other Muslim monuments, as of Hindu origin (of our four examples the first three are administered by the Government of India, while Muslims retain the mosque for worship). The Muslims, these Hindu groups say, forcefully appropriated them, adding Quranic verses and calligraphy to give them an Islamic character; it is time to restore them to their Hindu character.