New Delhi: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ignited a debate by suggesting that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s grave should be removed from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, formerly Aurangabad. However, he also emphasised that the grave is a protected monument under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and can only be removed through legal means.
Fadnavis’ comments were in response to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Udayanraje Bhosale’s demand to remove the grave in Khuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. Bhosale, one of the descendants of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stated that Aurangzeb was a “thief and a lootera” and that his tomb should be razed using a JCB machine.
“What is the need for the tomb? Bring in a JCB machine and raze it down. Aurangzeb was a thief and a lootera,” Bhosale was quoted as saying by reporters in Satara when he was asked if the tomb of Aurangzeb should be demolished.
The chief minister clarified that while they share the same sentiment, they must follow the law, as the previous Congress government had protected the monument under ASI.
Also read: Maharashtra Assembly Suspends SP MLA Abu Azmi for Comment on Aurangzeb
“We all believe the same but something needs to be done by law as it is a protected monument. The previous Congress government has got it protected under the ASI,” Fadnavis said on Saturday (March 9).
The controversy surrounding Aurangzeb’s grave has been brewing since the release of the movie Chhaava, which depicts the brutal treatment of Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi further sparked outrage by describing Aurangzeb as a “good administrator,” dismissing his portrayal as a cruel ruler in the recent movie. Azmi’s remarks were met with severe backlash, leading to his suspension from the state assembly till the end of the ongoing budget session.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal also weighed in on the issue, drawing parallels between Aurangzeb’s administration and that of Maharashtra chief minister Fadnavis. Sapkal criticised Fadnavis, saying that he had “imprisoned the constitution and law and order,” much like Aurangzeb’s actions.
