Some experts say that Ghani’s words on Amir Timur Gurkani are considered ethnically offensive. The social media users have also called Ghani’s statement an insult to Amir Timur.

Earlier, President Ashraf Ghani spoke in a gathering titled as the national history, culture, and identity talks, in the presidential palace. What turned controversial was Ghani’s reference to Amir Timur Gurkani as the “Timur-e Lang”, meaning ‘the crippled Timur’, who was the first emperor of the Timurid Empire.

Ghani in his talks said, “Genghis Khan destroyed the irrigation system in the north and northwestern Afghanistan. ‘Timur-e Lang’ destroyed the irrigation system in Sistan, Helmand, and Farah.”

Ghani’s statement was intensely reacted by experts and social media users.

The media office of the first vice president, in a press release, referred to Ghani’s statement as a big insult to “Amir Timur; the Quran keeper” adding that such statements will separate Afghans in this very vital political stage. The first VP office urges the president to apologize to the Afghan people.

Bashir Ahmad Tahyanj, spokesperson of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan said, “Unfortunately, President Ghani has a personal bias towards historic figures, honorable ethnicities, and the history and culture of the people who live in Afghanistan. This is not his first time. The National Movement of Afghanistan is against it and wants Ghani to apologize.”

Experts call Ghani’s statements ‘biased and controversial’.

“Based on the 22nd article of the constitution, discrimination is illegal, be it linguistic or ethnic. To respect the ethnicities is binding by law which should be practiced by all.”

However, the presidential spokesperson posted on his Facebook, that the president’s statements were not insulting, intentional and/or disrespectful to the national persona of “Amir Timur”.