Security increased after VHP, Bajrang Dal threaten to destroy Aurangzeb’s tomb

Mumbai: Security around the tomb of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in Kultabad area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra has been tightened by the police following the threats of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to destroy it like the Babri Masjid. If the government fails to remove the tomb, it (tomb) will meet the same fate as the Babri Masjid, the Hindutva outfits have said.

The VHP and Bajrang Dal threatened to hold a statewide agitation for the removal of the tomb. “On March 17, the VHP will hold statewide protests outside the district collector’s office demanding removal of the tomb. On the same, a memorandum will be submitted to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to act on their demand,” the VHP leaders said in Pune.

“Aurangzeb was a cruel leader. He does not deserve a tomb on our land. The government should forthwith demolish the tomb,” said VHP leader Kishore Chavan.

Bajrang Dal leader Nitin Mahajan demanded the removal of the tomb saying if the government fails to do so, then the tomb will meet the same fate like Babri Masjid.

Following the threats, the Maharashtra government has increased security at the site, deploying additional officers from the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and stationing police personnel at the tomb to monitor the situation. Authorities are also screening visitors to the tomb.

The government has also imposed a ban on Hindutva activist Milind Ekbote, who is supporting the demand, preventing him from entering Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar until April 5. Ekbote has threatened to destroy the tomb, calling it a ‘symbol of oppression.’

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have criticised the demand, arguing that history should be preserved and studied rather than erased.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad Ambadas Danve of Shiv Sena (UBT) said that Aurangzeb’s grave being here is proof that he came here and was defeated and killed here. “We should be able to tell the coming generations that this is the land where the emperor of Hindustan was defeated and buried,” he said.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal called the demand an attempt to “erase the glorious history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.” Aurangzeb’s tomb is not a symbol of bravery but of cruelty. However, it also stands as a testament to the resilience of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said.

The demand to remove the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was recently made by BJP minister Nitesh Rane and former MP Navneet Rana. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also supported this demand, but emphasised that any action must adhere to the legal framework, as the site is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).