On the backdrop of violence erupted in Nagpur over Aurangzeb’s tomb, Shiv Sena UBT has demanded that the Centre should remove the protected tag of the monument.
Mumbai: On the backdrop of violence erupted in Nagpur over Aurangzeb’s tomb, Shiv Sena UBT has demanded that the Centre should remove the protected tag of the monument. This will prevent riots and cool down the heads of fanatics, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.
An editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana termed the Hindu groups’ demand to remove Aurangzeb's tomb a ‘plain drama’. Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader had said that the tomb is a testament of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s bravery and wiping out a villian (Aurangzeb) from the history will eventually devalue the hero (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj).
“There is no need to do this drama to remove Aurangzeb’s grave. Aurangzeb is under the grave and he will never get up and come out,” said the editorial.
The Mughal emperor's grave is currently being protected by the central security forces. Since this grave is under the central agency Archaeological Survey of India, the Centre should immediately remove this security and withdraw the status of the protected monument given to the grave so that the land would be freed. This will prevent riots and cool down the heads of fanatics,” Saamana said.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party's demand came on the backdrop of violence in Nagpur, in which several police personnel were injured. The violence erupted over rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb by the Hindu groups, who have threatened to demolish the monument like Babri Masjid.
The Saamana editorial said, “At the time of the Babri Masjid (demolition), there was a Congress government at the Centre. Chief Minister Kalyan Singh's BJP government was in Uttar Pradesh. That is why there was conflict.”
“Today, there is Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and CM Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra. Both are from the BJP. Also, Fadnavis has the experience of Kar Seva in Ayodhya. Therefore, PM Modi, CM Fadnavis, Mohan Bhagwat, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar - these five people should dig Aurangzeb's grave under government orders with spades in their hands. This will stop riots in Maharashtra and calm the minds of fanatics, said the editorial taking jibe at the BJP.
Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said that the tomb is a testament of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s bravery and wiping out a villian (Aurangzeb) from the history will eventually devalue the hero (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj).
Mr. Raut had also claimed that the BJP wants to remove the tomb as it wanted to wipe out Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy. “The tomb is testament of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy. The BJP wants to remove it because if the villain’s identity is erased, the hero’s identify will also be automatically erased,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
