Propagandist Rajdeep Sardesai in his desperation to glorify Mughals slandered Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in India Today’s show  ‘Democratic Newsroom’ during a debate on the recent NCERT textbook revisions. Sardesai was so rattled by the corrections made by the central government that he had to resort to falsehoods to equate the Maratha hero with Mughal despots.

Sardesai slanders Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

We are well aware that for a long time Bharat’s history textbooks have been left at the mercy of leftist ‘historians’ (distortians to be precise). These textbooks glorified Mughals and other Islamists while either ignoring or distorting Hindu history. While glorifying Islamic invaders, these so-called historians secularize, slander and when both of these is not possible, they completely ignore Hindu heroes and heroines.

Among the Islamic invaders, Mughals have been a favourite of not just the distortians but also politicians and propagandists masquerading as journalists. No wonder, Sardesai was visibly upset and angry and tried his best to ‘defend’ them by drawing false equivalences. He talks about being ‘objective’ and putting out the strengths and weaknesses of the rulers for children to read. He also claims there were Hindu rulers who destroyed Mandirs in Kashmir but doesn’t spell out who that ruler is. Sardesai says Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ‘raided’ Bengal and ‘looted’ both Hindus and Muslims like the Mughals. Here too Sardesai doesn’t cite any authentic sources to back his claim.

Historical truth about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ‘raiding Bengal’

That Sardesai has no knowledge of history is amply evident because Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s military campaigns were confined to what constitutes today’s Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. He took on the Mughals, Adilshahis, Nizamshahis and other oppressive Islamic dynasties of the West, Deccan and South.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Dakshin Digvijay, or Southern Campaign, was a significant military expedition undertaken to expand the Maratha Empire into southern Bharat. Launched around 1676, this campaign demonstrated Shivchhatrapati’s strategic brilliance, political acumen, and military prowess. With a vision to liberate the south from the control of the weakening Adilshahi and Qutub Shahi Sultanates, Chhatrapati allied with local powers like the Nayakas and even sought support from the Golconda Sultanate.

During this campaign, he marched through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu regions, capturing key forts such as Jinji (Gingee), Vellore, and several others, thus laying the foundation for Maratha influence in the south. This expedition not only brought immense wealth and resources but also strategically established Maratha presence beyond Maharashtra. For all practical purposes Dakshin Digvijay or Carnatic campaigns were the last military campaigns of Shivchhatrapati. In this campaign, he went as far as Tamil Nadu and no further.

In essence, Shivchhatrapati and his army never even ventured towards Bengal then how can he raid it and ‘loot’ both Hindus and Muslims there? Sardesai has not quoted any source for his claim because there are none. Basically, he just came up with a random unverified claim in his enthusiasm to show that Hindu kings were ‘as cruel’ as the Muslim invaders. His intention seems to be to discredit Hindu warriors because he can’t whitewash the temple destruction, forced conversions, and other atrocities of the invaders.

Sardesai’s political bias

Sardesai’s comparison misleads the public and serves as subtle propaganda that downplays the Mughal atrocities against Hindus. Unlike the Mughals who pursued Islamic supremacy through temple destruction, forced conversions, and violence, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj fought to protect the people and uphold Hindavi Swarajya. His campaigns were rooted in ethical conduct; his forces never engaged in mass rape or temple desecration. He maintained a strict moral code even during war. Equating Shivchhatrapati with Mughal rulers distorts history and undermines the brutal reality of Mughal oppression in Bharat.

It is crystal clear that for a large section of the media political bias dictates historical truths and they can plumb any lows for their propaganda. Slow but surely corrections are being made in history texts and leftist propaganda is being replaced with historical facts. This has rattled the entire ecosystem, including Mughal-premis like Rajdeep Sardesai who are unable to hide their Hindu hate anymore. Intellectual dishonesty as well as slander and propaganda by Sardesai and his ilk would no longer be tolerated. Shivchhatrapati was not just another ruler but a symbol of Hindu resistance and a guardian of Dharma.