Aamir Khan's son Junaid Khan has made his acting debut with the Netflix movie Maharaj, the one that faced a lot of boycott calls before its release and has finally hit the OTT screens. The story of the film in which he plays the role of a journalist is based on the real-life incident. After a group of businessmen filed a petition in the court claiming that the film offended the Vaishnav community's religious sentiments, the release of the film was postponed. Now that it has finally been streamed, here's all you need to know about All about Karsandas Mulji, whose role Junaid Khan plays in Maharaj.
Karsandas Mulji was a reformist journalist and social critic who was associated with the Gujarati press. An advocate for social reforms, he was known to criticise practices he deemed corrupt or immoral within religious institutions. Despite the personal risks and opposition he faced, Karsandas Mulji's legacy endures as a testament to the power of truth and the vital role of journalism in advocating for justice and social progress.
Before starting his own newspaper called Satyaprakash, he worked with reputed magazines Rast Goftar and Stribodh, who were read mostly by Parsis. His magazine ran for six years before shutting down and dissolving with Rast Goftar. Mulji's articles were bold critiques directed at leading figures of the Hindu caste system, challenging numerous social and religious customs. He focussed on issues including female education, spending on lavish weddings, and the traditional practice of chest-beating during funerals. He is best remembered for exposing the alleged misconduct of Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj during Maharaj Libel Case of 1862.
The 1862 libel trial involves two prominent figures Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj and Karsandas Mulji and allegations of moral misconduct against the prominent religious leader by a journalist, leading to a legal battle.
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Who was Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj?
For the unversed, Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj had a massive following. The spiritual leader who held considerable religious authority was a prominent figure in the Pushtimarg or Vallabha Sampradaya sect of Hinduism, a Vaishnavite tradition that focuses on the worship of Lord Krishna.
The Allegations
It was in 1860 that Karsandas Mulji published an article in the Gujarati newspaper titled Satyaprakash, accusing Jadunathji Brijratanji Maharaj of sexual misconduct. He claimed that the religious leader engaged in inappropriate relationships with women devotees who came to him for spiritual guidance, and thus he abused his position of religious authority.
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Legal Action
After his sensational article, Jadunathji Maharaj filed a libel suit against Karsandas Mulji, claiming that the allegations were false, defamatory, and had caused irreparable damage to his reputation and standing within the religious community. The case was fought in the High Court of Bombay in 1862.
The Trial
The trial was quite publicised and attracted a lot of attention not only from Indian but also British communities. It was one of the first major libel cases in colonial India that highlighted the tensions between traditional religious authorities and the emerging reformist voices. The court ruled in favor of Mulji and concluded that the allegations against him were not false.
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