Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday rejected calls for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, saying it is a protected monument but won’t allow its glorification.
“Whether we like Aurangzeb or not, his tomb is a protected monument. We will not allow anyone to glorify it,” he said.
Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said structures “outside the purview of law” should be removed.
His remarks came amid a heated political debate, with Union Minister Ramdas Athawale pushing for the tomb’s demolition, while opposition parties accused the ruling Mahayuti alliance of using the issue to divert attention from governance failures.
According to police, Maharashtra had witnessed 823 incidents of communal unrest since January this year including the violence in Nagpur, with demands for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb and the spreading of distorted facts on social media fomenting fresh trouble.
Meanwhile, former RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi said, “The issue of Aurangzeb’s tomb is unnecessary. He died here, his grave has been built. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is the ideal, he built Afzal Khan’s grave. This is a symbol of India’s generosity and inclusiveness. Those who have faith in him go there. I don’t know who has faith in him or not. In our tradition, we don’t worry much about the person after death.”
RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambekar had recently condemned the Nagpur violence, stressing that Aurangzeb is no longer relevant in India.
Condemning the Nagpur violence, he said, “I think any type of violence is not good for society. Police have taken cognizance of it and will go into the details.”
Two weeks ago, during the inauguration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj temple in Bhiwandi, Fadnavis questioned the need to preserve Aurangzeb’s tomb responsible for the suffering of thousands. He argued that Maharashtra should honour the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, calling it unfortunate that both the state and Central governments bear the responsibility of maintaining Aurangzeb’s tomb. However, he assured the people of Maharashtra that any attempt to glorify Aurangzeb would be firmly opposed and crushed.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had claimed that the Aurangzeb’s tomb is a stain on Maharashtra. He had questioned the justification for commemorating Aurangzeb and also its glorification. “Why are we even discussing Aurangzeb’s legacy? He was an oppressor, not a figure to be celebrated,” he commented.
Former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale last week urged the Centre to denotify Aurangzeb’s tomb from the list of Monuments of National Importance.
“Despite the widespread demand for the removal of the grave, the state government is unable to take any action as the site falls under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). As per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR Act), 1958, the power to delist any such monument rests solely with the Central government,” said Shewale.
