How Aurangzeb’s Tomb Has Change into The Focus Of Maharashtra Politics, Will It Be Eliminated? | Defined – News18
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With fervent protests in Maharashtra to demolish Aurangzeb’s tomb, after the success of ‘Chhaava’ movie fuelling Maratha satisfaction, the row is prone to form state’s political discourse within the coming months
Members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal stage a protest demanding the elimination of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, on March 17, 2025. (PTI Picture)
The tomb of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, situated in Khuldabad, Maharashtra, has as soon as once more develop into a topic of political and ideological clashes. The controversy, fuelled by Hindu nationalist teams similar to Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), revolves round calls for to demolish the tomb, arguing that Aurangzeb was a tyrant who brutally persecuted Hindus and executed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in 1689.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken a powerful stand towards any glorification of Aurangzeb, additional igniting the talk.
The controversy has gained additional momentum after the discharge of ‘Chhaava,’ which portrays the heroic resistance of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj towards Aurangzeb. The movie has deeply resonated with audiences, notably in Maharashtra, reinforcing the historic grievances towards the Mughal ruler.
With rising calls from Hindu teams and rising political statements, the way forward for Aurangzeb’s tomb has now develop into a significant flashpoint in Maharashtra’s socio-political panorama.
How Chhaava Revived Aurangzeb Row
The movie, ‘Chhaava,’ has performed a significant function in reviving the talk over Aurangzeb. The film depicts Sambhaji Maharaj’s valiant battle towards Aurangzeb, his unwavering dedication to defending Hindu tradition, and his brutal execution by the hands of the Mughal emperor. Its emotional narrative has stirred up a powerful sense of Maratha satisfaction amongst audiences, notably in Maharashtra, the place Sambhaji Maharaj is revered as a warrior who by no means surrendered.
Scenes depicting Aurangzeb’s cruelty and his try and forcibly convert Sambhaji Maharaj earlier than ordering his execution have angered many viewers. Because of this, Hindu nationalist teams have discovered renewed justification of their demand to demolish the Aurangzeb tomb.
Socio-Political Tensions In Maharashtra
Protests have intensified, with many teams arguing that the Maharashtra authorities shouldn’t protect the tomb of a ruler who mercilessly killed one of many state’s biggest heroes.
Bajrang Dal activists in Kolhapur lately staged an indication, symbolically smashing a duplicate of Aurangzeb’s tomb with hammers. The protestors submitted a memorandum to native authorities, demanding quick motion to take away the historic construction.
Hindu teams argue that Aurangzeb was one of the oppressive rulers in Indian historical past, liable for temple destructions, compelled conversions, and the execution of Maratha warriors. They imagine that preserving his tomb is an insult to Maharashtra’s wealthy historical past and the sacrifices of the Marathas.
The current glorification of Aurangzeb by sure teams visiting his tomb has additional frayed nerves of many, making them query why the state ought to shield his ultimate resting place.
“If we can’t tolerate even a symbolic tomb of Aurangzeb, why ought to we permit the actual one to exist in Maharashtra? The federal government should take away it instantly.” Comparable calls for have additionally been raised in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Pune, and Nashik, the place Maratha satisfaction is deeply ingrained in public sentiment.
When Did Aurangzeb Die?
Aurangzeb died on March 3, 1707, in Bhingar close to Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, on the age of 88. Not like his predecessors, he spent most of his later years preventing the Marathas, making an attempt unsuccessfully to crush their rising energy. The lengthy battle drained the Mughal treasury and weakened the empire.
Earlier than his demise, Aurangzeb expressed his want to be buried in Khuldabad, Maharashtra, close to the dargah of Sufi saint Sheikh Zainuddin, whom he had at all times admired and thought of as his guiding pressure. Not like the grand tombs of Akbar and Humayun, Aurangzeb’s grave was stored easy and unembellished, as per his personal directions. Nevertheless, centuries later, his tomb has develop into a significant political situation.
Political Events React
The controversy has divided political events in Maharashtra. Whereas the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) have supported the demand to take away Aurangzeb’s tomb, the Congress and NCP have opposed it, calling it a political distraction from actual points like inflation, unemployment, and governance. “Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj defeated Aurangzeb. His tomb here’s a image of his failure, not his success. The BJP is utilizing this situation for political achieve as an alternative of addressing individuals’s actual issues. If the federal government has stopped them to take motion, why is there a necessity for protests. PM or CM can situation notification and take away that tomb. They need to cease this drama and perceive that after the demise of Shivaji Maharaj, Aurangzeb fought for subsequent 25 years however couldn’t defeat Marathas. This tomb is the image of his failure,” mentioned Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena UBT.
In the meantime, CM Fadnavis mentioned, “If Maharashtra glorifies anybody, it will likely be Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, not Aurangzeb. We don’t want the tomb of a ruler who oppressed Hindus and executed our beloved Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. If anybody tries to glorify Aurangzeb, we are going to crush such efforts instantly.” He additional mentioned why the federal government ought to bear the accountability of sustaining the tomb of a ruler who triggered immense struggling. His remarks are seen as a direct response to the rising Hindu nationalist sentiment fuelled by ‘Chhaava’ and ongoing protests.
BJP chief Ram Kadam has supported the demolition demand, saying “Aurangzeb was a merciless ruler. His tomb has no place in Maharashtra. Those that wish to glorify him ought to assume twice. The demand for its elimination is justified.”
Have Protests Taken Place Over Aurangzeb Earlier than?
With the rising protests and political statements, the Maharashtra police have elevated safety at Aurangzeb’s tomb. Authorities have arrange steel barricades, restricted automobile motion, and deployed extra personnel to stop vandalism or violence.
This isn’t the primary time the tomb has been beneath menace. In Could 2022, a right-wing group tried to vandalise the positioning, prompting the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to briefly shut it. The location was reopened solely after the federal government assured strict safety measures.
From previous two years there have been many situations of violence which have been reported in several elements of Maharashtra, as a result of a Muslim youth tried to glorify Aurangzeb by displaying assist on social media and holding his images throughout spiritual processions.
Two years in the past, a home of a Muslim household was burnt close to Kolhapur metropolis as their teenaged boy had posted a video eulogizing Aurangzeb as a WhatsApp standing. The incident escalated to some extent that a number of villagers had demanded that the household must be ostracized. However as a result of interference of group leaders from either side, the matter was resolved.
The political debate over Aurangzeb’s tomb is unlikely to die down. Whereas the BJP authorities could not formally demolish the tomb on account of authorized and historic causes, it would impose stricter entry controls to stop any additional exaltation of the Mughal ruler.
For now, the difficulty stays deeply emotional, political, and intertwined with Maharashtra’s Maratha legacy. With the success of ‘Chhaava’ fuelling Maratha satisfaction and Hindu nationalist sentiments, the controversy over Aurangzeb’s tomb will proceed to form Maharashtra’s political discourse within the coming months.
