Nagpur violence: Aurangzeb not relevant today says RSS leader Sunil Ambekar

The RSS has opened up amid the ongoing tensions at Maharashtra’s Nagpur over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb. Over 30 people including police personnel were injured in the clashes that broke out between two communities after right-wing outfits held a protest demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khultabad on Monday.

Opening up on the issue, senior RSS leader Sunil Ambekar said Mughal emperor Aurangzeb is not even relevant in the present day and any type of violence is not healthy for society. “The question is if Aurangzeb is relevant today, should the tomb be removed? The answer is that he is not relevant. Any type of violence is not good for the health of society,” the veteran RSS leader said.

Uddhav Thackeray’s sarcastic jibe: Call Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar

Meanwhile, opening up on Nagpur violence, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray took a jibe at the ruling BJP on Tuesday and said, “I am not the Chief Minister, nor am I the Home Minister, ask the Chief Minister who is behind this (violence). Because the RSS headquarters is there. There is a double-engine government here; if the double-engine government has failed, then they should resign…If you want, you can remove his (Aurangzeb’s) grave, but call Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar during that time…”

#WATCH | Mumbai: On Nagpur violence, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray says, “I am not the Chief Minister, nor am I the Home Minister, ask the Chief Minister who is behind this (violence). Because the RSS headquarters is there. There is a double-engine government here; if… pic.twitter.com/VUTg58l7E9

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2025

The reference to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, both of whom are key allies of ruling BJP- is likely made in the light of the Muslim population in each state, and the importance of their votes to the TDP and JDU, particularly with elections next year in the latter state.

Nagpur violence – Stone-pelting, arson and vandalism in Mahal and Hansapuri

Clashes broke out in Nagpur on Monday following the release of Bollywood’s historical drama ‘Chhaava’, which showcases how Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was tortured by Aurangzeb. The protests began when rumours surfaced that during the protest a sacred religious text was intentionally harmed which led the Muslim community to become enraged. Several police officers and common people were injured during the violence which involved stone-pelting, arson and widespread vandalism especially in Mahal and Hansapuri. Authorities implemented an area-wide curfew in Nagpur to prevent additional unrest from occurring.

The situation started intensifying when members from both Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) conducted a protest near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj monument in the Mahal region. Protesters set fire to both an effigy representing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and a symbolic grave covered in green cloth while demonstrating to eliminate Aurangzeb’s tomb. The growing tension received additional fuel through social media videos which intensified the situation.

On Wednesday, Fahim Shamim Khan, a prominent local leader from the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), was arrested by Nagpur Police for his involvement in the communal violence that broke out on March 17. Khan, identified as the alleged mastermind behind the riots, had earlier been named in an FIR lodged at Ganeshpeth Police Station. His arrest followed the release of a video that showed him giving an inflammatory speech moments before the violence began.