Twilight of the Sultanate c15.s1.74

c15.s1.74

In fact Ibrāhīm Lodī had started a policy of persecution of such noblemen about whose loyalty he entertained even the remotest suspicion. A little before Āzam’s incarceration, he had imprisoned his Vazīr, Miān Bhuā. Son of the respectable Khawās Khan, Miān Bhuā had been the Vazīr and trusted councillor of Sikandar Lodī for no less than twenty-eight years; and there does not seem to have been any definite charge against him. Ni’āmatulla accuses him of indifference towards the Sultan. He also says that the onset of old age, and consequent infirmity of limbs and sight, had rendered him unfit for the exacting duties of his responsible office.⁶⁸ But physical infirmity was not a crime to merit incarceration. ’Abdulla even goes on to say that Bhuā was in league with Daulat Khan Lodī of the Punjab, and made no efforts to win him over to the side of Sulṭan Ibrāhīm. On the contrary he had begun to show signs of disobedience.⁶⁹ Whatever the reasons, the old and venerable Vazīr was put in “several maunds of chain” and to add insult to injury he was placed in charge of a subordinate of his, Malik Ādam.⁷⁰ True the Sultan gave to Bhuā’s son the office of Vazīr, but that was only trying to correct one wrong with another. No loyalty could be expected from one whose blind old father was in jail.