Last Updated:
Sanjay Shirsat, a Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader, is among the vocal politicians who openly supported the demand for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb.
There has been a massive controversy around the Tomb of Aurangzeb in Maharashtra as many right-wing groups and ruling alliance politicians in the state have demanded its removal. (Image: PTI/File)
Aurangzeb Row: Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat has announced to rename the town of Khuldabad, which houses Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, to Ratnapur.
Shirsat, district guardian minister of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar announced the decision, highlighting the city’s historical name before Aurangzeb’s alteration, reported Times of India.
Khuldabad, a small town around 30 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, houses the Aurangzeb’s tomb, which is at the centre of a controversy with right-wing groups demanding its removal.
“Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was known as Khadki in the past, but it was renamed Aurangabad. Similarly, Khultabad was earlier known as Ratnapur, but Aurangzeb named it Khultabad. We are in the process of renaming all such places, the names of which were changed by Aurangzeb,” Shirsat said as quoted by the news outlet.
Shirsat, a Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) leader, is among the vocal politicians who openly supported the demand for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. Describing the Mughal emperor as cruel leader, he said that there is no place for Aurangzeb’s grave in Maharashtra.
Aurangzeb Tomb Row
Aurangzeb’s tomb at Aurangabad district’s Khuldabad is a protected monument under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) Aurangabad circle.
There has been a massive controversy around Aurangzeb’s tomb as many right-wing groups and ruling alliance politicians in Maharashtra have demanded its removal.
The Aurangzeb controversy gained significance after Nagpur witnessed unrest near Chitnis Park in the Mahal area last month. Protesters engaged in stone-pelting following rumours that a religious text had been burned during a demonstration by a right-wing group demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
The blockbuster film Chhaava, based on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s life, has reinforced his image as a martyr, intensifying anti-Aurangzeb sentiments in Maharashtra. This, coupled with historical animosity towards the Mughal ruler, has made any reference to Aurangzeb a politically charged issue in the state.
Recently, former RSS general secretary and senior functionary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi called the controversy over the tomb “unnecessary”.
The Centre recently told the Parliament that the was taking steps to protect the tomb of Aurangzeb in Maharashtra from any threats.
- Location :
Maharashtra, India, India