In an era where men of power exercise restraint while expressing opinions to cater to a society that has arguably grown sensitive, Manoj Muntashir appears to be passionately unabashed. Using his social media platform to share snippets of India’s cultural and mythological history, along with his poetic work, Muntashir often sprinkles his feed with posts that, many cite, have rubbed the Muslim community the wrong way. It was in 2021 that he courted controversy for criticising the fact that India had roads named after “glorified dacoits” like Akbar, Humayun and Jehangir, a statement that inspired harsh words from several Indian writers. Four days ago, Muntashir weighed in on the restrictions on Muslims at the Mahakumbh, citing that for the community, the location would serve as nothing more than a picnic spot. The lyricist, however, impresses upon the need to lay out facts and raise the right questions when considering his statements. Vehemently denying accusations of being anti-Muslim, Muntashir says he “cannot imagine India without our Muslim brothers”. 

“This is absolutely untrue. I challenge anyone who has followed my work to point out even a single statement that I made that could indicate that I am anti-Muslim. If they do so, I will remain quiet from that moment. For me, the community is an integral part of India. But if you, [as a Muslim], support those [emperors] who committed genocides, I cannot support that. I will urge my Muslim brothers to stand against those [who hurt us], because I am a man who places his country above his religion. If a Muslim brother can do that too, I will bow my head to him in respect,” says Muntashir, adding that his decision to be vocal about political and religious matters has cost him both work and peace of mind.