Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor became proud parents of a baby boy. Many congratulations to them. They have named their son Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi. It means iron in Arabic, and is associated with strength. While the Bollywood fraternity welcomed nanhe nawab with open arms, social media seemed divided over the name of the baby.
While some applauded ‘Saifeena’ over the choice of name for their baby, some sections especially right wing trolls got down to business in lashing out at the star couple.
Before we get deep into the resentment among the Hindutva brigade with Taimur, sample this tweet.
What is common between Kareena-Saif’s son and a Pakistani Missile?
They are both called Taimur
— TheFrustratedIndian (@FrustIndian) December 20, 2016
While we were pondering over such rants, a tweet from Pakistani-origin Canadian scholar Tarek Fateh fell flat on our faces.
U r either illiterate or arrogant @KareenaOnline. By naming yr son #Taimur u hv ensured he’ll be equated to a mass murderer of Indians 4ever https://t.co/j98m5ekk1Q
— Tarek तारिक Fatah (@TarekFatah) December 20, 2016
Why so much hungama over Taimur?
Since the Modi government came to power, the bhakts have unleashed themselves as rakshaks (protectors) of Bharat Mata. Any slight criticism of the regime and you will be soon blessed with labels like Libtaard, Sickular and of course, anti-national. Although, the trolls got confused with Turkish invader Timur The Lame, whose name sounds similar to Saifeena’s son. Timur captured Delhi in 1398 and is accused of carrying out a genocide in which more than 10,000 people died. So, how dare the Bollywood couple chose a ‘barbaric’ name for their son?
Meanwhile, let me tell you an interesting tale. In 2012, Kareena acted in a film called Talaash: The Answer Lies Within. With Aamir Khan as the main lead, the film also had Nawazuddin Siddiqui playing a pimp called Tehmur. That is too similar. But, who cares! The film hit the theatres in 2012, two years before Modi Sarkar came into existence. Were they sleeping then? No, the task of distinguishing between patriots and traitors began after 26 May , 2014.
Pataudis loved India, so what?
Taimur belongs to the Pataudi clan, the same family who refused to migrate to Pakistan after Partition. His grand-dad Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was a cricketer and one of India’s most successful captains. So? The ‘nationalists’ are unmoved. They might have thronged the cinema halls whistling everytime Saif took on the terrorists in Pakistan in 2015 film Phantom. But Taimur?
Also read: 5 things that show Kareena Kapoor Khan is breaking the pregnancy taboo with elegance
Why leave Taimur, ban more such names
If the right-wingers are too enraged over ‘Taimur’ being synonymous with the large-scale extermination of fellow Indians in the 14th century, it’s time for them to take corrective measures. They should take up the onus of stopping parents from choosing names that sound ‘barbaric’ and ‘brutal’.
Ask girls to stop being called Maya, as they share name with former Gujarat minister, Maya Kodnani. Or worse, release a list of do’s and don’ts while naming your babies. Since those in power at the Centre have clearly laid out guidelines over our lifestyle, eating habits, rationality and number of children one should have — this list will be very helpful.
