Mughal emperor’s kin seeks Sikhs’ pardon

April 16, 2004

Thu, 15 Apr 2004 01:45:20 -0700 (PDT)B Parker Mughal

emperor’s kin seeks Sikhs’ pardon mbranparker

Amritsar, April 14: The wife of a descendant of the Mughals on Wednesday paid

obeisance at the Akal Takht, marking a historic moment in time as she sought

pardon for the atrocities committed by her ancestors.

Sultana Begum, the widow of Mirza Mohammed Bedar Bakht, great grandson of

Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last recognised Mughal emperor, arrived in this Sikh

holy city on Tuesday night just when everybody had given up hope.

“I am feeling relieved,” she said after paying homage at the Golden

Temple.Sultana Begum left for Delhi on Wednesday to seek forgiveness at

Gurudwara Sis Ganj in Chandni Chowk where the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was

beheaded on the orders of Aurengzeb.“I am not doing it for any kind of

publicity. I had this heartfelt desire to seek forgiveness because our family

has suffered a lot of misery,” she said. She did not meet any Sikh religious

leaders.“I hope the community forgives our lineage and hatred for the Mughals

is no longer there. Islam doesn’t permit cruelty against anyone,” she said.

Mother of five daughters and a son, who works as a cook in Saudi Arabia,

Sultana Begum also went to the Durgiana temple here.

“I belong to a royal lineage. Look at my pathetic condition, living in poverty.

I only have a tea-stall in Howrah.”Her plight was highlighted last year after

which she got a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 from the Central government.

“Since I am a descendant from the Mughal family, the government should give me

two bighas of land and a Rs 50,000 monthly pension,” she demanded. Sultana

Begum’s apology at the Golden Temple here marks one more event in the

tumultuous history of the Sikhs and the Mughal emperors, who reigned over India

for seven generations.

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