Row Over Mughal Emperor: Demolish Aurangzeb’s Grave, Demands BJP Leader

Mumbai: A controversy has erupted in Maharashtra over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

So much so that BJP’s Navneet Rana has demanded the demolition of Aurangzeb’s grave, at Khuldabad, in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district.

It was in response to Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Asim Azmi’s praise for Aurangzeb.

Azmi, president of SP’s Maharashtra unit, had expressed the view that Aurangzeb was not a cruel, tyrannical, or intolerant ruler. He also said that during the reign of the 17th-century Mughal Emperor, India’s territorial borders stretched to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the country was a global economic powerhouse.

The BJP leader reminded Azmi that the state he represents was once ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and advised him to watch the recently-released movie ‘Chhava.’

“The state in which you are elected to sit in the Assembly for 5 years was ruled by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj… People like you should watch ‘Chhava’ movie to see what Aurangzeb did with our king,” Rana said in a video message.

She urged the state government, headed by Devendra Fadnavis, to take action and remove Aurangzeb’s grave.

“I want to request Maharashtra government that the way Aurangabad’s name was changed and kept after our God Sambhaji Maharaj, Aurangzeb’s grave should also be demolished,” the former MP asserted.

Azmi later apologised, saying that he regretted his remarks if they had offended anyone.

“I could never imagine insulting words against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Dr BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Rajshri Shahuji Maharaj, but Prashant Koratkar, Rahul Solapurkar have spoken against, they have security, why this furore against my statement?” Azmi stated.