The Vice Chancellor of Udaipur’s Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Sunita Mishra, tendered an apology Wednesday after facing backlash over calling Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as the “best administrator.”
Issuing a video and a written apology, Mishra said she apologises to Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, the people of Mewar, Rajasthan, and especially the Rajput community for her words.
“This land of Mewar is not just a geographical region, but a symbol of valor, self-respect, and sacrifice. It is this sacred land that gave birth to immortal heroes like Maharana Pratap and Prithviraj Chauhan, who remained steadfast in the defence of their motherland and religion even under the most difficult circumstances. Their glorious saga will always be a source of inspiration for all of us,” Mishra wrote in her apology.
“In a recent speech at an international conference in Udaipur, I described Aurangzeb as a capable ruler. This deeply hurt the sentiments of Maharana Pratap’s followers and the Rajput community. This is my mistake. My intention was never to insult this immortal land of heroes or its great heroes. I wholeheartedly apologise to all the people of Mewar, Rajasthan, and especially the Rajput community for my mistake,” Mishra said.
“I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work and serve on this land of Mewar, sanctified by the feet of Maharana Pratap. Respect and loyalty to this glorious land will always remain in my heart. Therefore, I once again request you to forgive me for any pain caused by my statement,” she said.
Speaking at the ‘Indian Knowledge System: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat 2047’ conference on September 12, Mishra had said, for Aurangzeb, that “as (an) administrator, he is the best.”
She had also ‘equated’ Maharana Pratap and Prithviraj Chauhan with Akbar, saying that from a historical perspective, we keep hearing about all these rulers.
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Her statements had led to intense protests on the campus, with students also locking her chamber from outside for several hours, burning her effigy, smearing her photos with black ink, sitting on a protest calling for her boycott and demanding her resignation, and writing letters to the Governor, with student organisations ABVP, NSUI and some caste outfits protesting her statements.
Deputy CM and Higher Education Minister Prem Chand Bairwa had also taken cognisance of the issue, saying that “it has come to my notice, we will get a factual investigation done and take action based on the report of the department and the District Collector.”