On Monday night, violent clashes erupted in Nagpur, Maharashtra, after Hindu nationalist groups demanded the removal of the tomb of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Following the unrest, a curfew has been imposed in many parts of the city. Demonstrators in the Mahal locality of Nagpur burned vehicles and pelted stones, and authorities appealed for calm.
Authorities have stated that the situation is under control and have urged the public to remain calm.
According to the BBC, Aurangzeb’s tomb is more than 300 years old and has been a focus for hardline Hindu groups, who have called in the past for its removal.
The tomb is situated in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, formerly Aurangabad, nearly 500 km from Nagpur.
On Monday, activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal burnt Aurangzeb’s effigy. They raised slogans calling for the removal of his tomb. Religious symbols were rumoured to have been desecrated, and violence broke out.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing the state assembly, alleged that these rumours led to a premeditated attack. He added that about 250 Muslim men gathered after evening prayers and began chanting slogans.
Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravindra Singhal said more than 50 people had been arrested, and 33 police personnel were injured in the riots.
All shops and businesses in central Nagpur have been closed as a precaution, and the city has been put on heightened security alert.
The recent violence was said to have been triggered by a new Bollywood movie about the Maratha king Sambhaji, who was at war with the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb but is said to have been captured and then executed.
The film graphically shows the torture he suffered, igniting public anger toward Aurangzeb’s legacy.
This defence was compounded when a regional politician, Abu Azmi, defended Aurangzeb, saying he was “not a tyrant” and funded temples.
His comments provoked intense backlash, resulting in his suspension from the state assembly and an official inquiry into his comments.
According to history, Aurangzeb Alamgir wasthe sixth Mughal emperor who ruled India between 1658 and 1707, a period of 49 years, making him one of the longest-reigning Mughal rulers. He is popularly referred to as a devout Muslim. S
till, his rule is controversial due to his ordinance on religious enforcement and the destruction of temples. Some historians contend that he also constructed Hindu temples, further complicating his legacy.
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