Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh spoke on the demolition of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (formerly known as Aurangabad).
“Why does Aurangzeb’s tomb still exist in our country? What is the motive behind it?” he said at a public gathering in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Sunday, March 16.
Raja Singh referred to the recently released Hindi movie Chavva based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was held captive for nearly a month before being tortured to death.
“Thanks to the movie Chavva, every child in Maharashtra knows who Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was and how he was tortured to death by Aurangzeb,” Raja Singh said.
“Aurangzeb ordered the destruction of several Hindu temples and waged wars against Hindu kings. His tomb here is like a dagger on Maharashtra’s soil,” he said.
Referring to several political leaders’ opinions on whether the tomb should exist or not, Raja Singh said it was time for action, not just words. “I demand bulldozer action on Aurangazeb’s tomb. It should not be delayed any further,” he said.
He further stated that after being an MLA for many years, he doesn’t wish to be in politics anymore. “My only aim now is to make a Hindu Rastra,” he claimed.
On March 15, Raja Singh wrote a letter addressing the Union minister of culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat questioning the maintenance being spent by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Aurangazeb’s tomb.
Raja Singh demands Centre to stop spending on Aurangzeb’s tomb
“I strongly believe that not a single rupee of the taxpayer’s money should be spent on maintaining the tomb of a tyrant who caused immense suffering to our ancestors,” Raja Singh’s letter stated.
He stressed that the Indian government should consider halting further expenditure on Aurangazeb’s tomb. “It holds no relevance to our cultural heritage and history of valour,” read his letter.
Security tightens
As calls for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s grave intensify, the police administration has stepped up security, making it mandatory for visitors to furnish their identity cards before entering the site, an official said on Monday.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a demonstration in Nagpur demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb.
Obligated to protect Aurangzeb’s tomb: Maha CM
Speaking at the inauguration of a temple dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Thane district CM Devendra Fadnavis addressed the ongoing debate over historical monuments in Maharashtra, particularly demands from right-wing outfits to remove Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad.
Tight security at Aurangzeb’s grave amid demolition call; Obligated to protect, says Maha CM
“It is unfortunate that the government has to take responsibility for the protection of Aurangzeb’s grave, despite his history of persecution. However, I assure you, if any attempt is made to glorify his legacy through ‘mahima mandan’, it will not succeed,” he added.
How is the tomb protected?
Co-founder of Project Mishkat, Dr Nizamuddin Ahmad Siddiqui, explained that the removal of the tomb is not as easy as it seems. The tomb comes under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. Sections 16, 20A, and 20B of the Act protect the religious nature of the site and prohibit any alterations inconsistent with its character, reported Maktoob Media.
Further, the Places of Worship Act, 1991, safeguards the tomb’s status.
Politicization of Aurangzeb’s tomb
The politicization of Aurangzeb’s tomb is longstanding. In the late 1980s, Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray pushed to rename Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar, which was finally fulfilled by the Eknath Shinde government in 2022. BJP leaders have also frequently referenced Aurangzeb in their rhetoric, with the current chief minister Devendra Fadnavis labelling protesters as “Aurangzeb ki aulad” (descendants of Aurangzeb).
Lately, Fadnavis favoured the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. “We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASI’s (Archaeological Survey of India) protection during the Congress regime some years back,” he said.
BJP’s Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has consistently sought the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb.
About Aurangzeb’s tomb
The 17th-century Mughal emperor is buried next to the tomb of his first wife Dilras Banu Begum, also known as ‘Bibi ka maqbara”.
Feroz Ahmed, the caretaker of the tomb and a nearby bookstore owner, is concerned about the sudden rise in political tensions surrounding the site.
“Khuldabad, where the tomb rests, has always maintained an atmosphere of communal harmony,” Ahmed was quoted by Maktoob Media. He believes that only a small section of people hold negative opinions about Aurangzeb, while most visitors come out of historical or religious interest.
