NAGPUR: A day after arson and vandalism rocked Nagpur, police on Tuesday took more than 50 persons into custody and imposed a curfew in several areas after protests against Aurangzeb’s tomb triggered violence in the city.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed the violence and arson incidents in Nagpur were premeditated, other political leaders put the blame at the door of the BJP government, accusing it of failing to govern the state.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Fadnavis said the Vicky Kaushal-starrer film “Chhaava”, based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, reignited people’s emotions against the Mughal emperor and brought before them the true history of the Maratha king.
Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray questioned the need for a face-off on this issue, pointing out the controversial ruler had died over 300 years ago. “If you want you can remove his grave.... but call C Naidu and Nitish Kumar...” he quipped.
The reference to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (Chandrababu Naidu) and his Bihar counterpart – both key BJP allies – has been seen 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.
Thackeray also threw in a second jab at the BJP, pointing out Aurangzeb had, in fact, been born in Gujarat; he was born in 1618 in Dahod in Gujarat and died near Maharashtra’s Bhingar in 1707.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said it won’t tolerate any attempts to glorify Aurangzeb and claimed the Nagpur violence was planned.
Five FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence, Nagpur police commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal said.
Violence erupted in central Nagpur’s Chitnis Park in Mahal area on Monday around 7.30 pm, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, officials said.
As many as 34 police personnel were injured in the violence, state BJP president and Nagpur guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said after visiting the injured police personnel at a hospital in Nagpur on Tuesday.
The situation now is a little tense, but there is peace in the city with adequate police force deployed, Bawankule said. Curfew has been imposed in areas under the jurisdiction of some police stations in Nagpur, police said.
BSP chief Mayawati said, “It is not right to damage or break anyone’s grave or mausoleum in Maharashtra because this is spoiling the mutual brotherhood, peace and harmony there.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “Instigating violence, creating instability in the state, keeping the citizens busy over the past history while getting away with tough questions on the state’s financial doom, increased debt burden, growing joblessness and farmer suicides.”
Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council, Ambadas Danve, blamed Fadnavis and his government for the violence in Nagpur, which is the CM’s hometown.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Fadnavis and his ministers, stating, “We need to examine the statements made by the CM and ministers in recent weeks.”
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said the Nagpur violence was a planned attack aimed at spreading communal unrest.
Meanwhile, police in Nagpur have registered a case against some office-bearers of VHP and Bajrang Dal for allegedly hurting religious sentiments during their protest demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, officials said.
The first information report (FIR) was registered at the Ganeshpeth police station against Govind Shende, VHP’s secretary in-charge of Maharashtra and Goa and others, they said.
A complaint was lodged against the protesters after the agitation, accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of a community. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered, an official of Ganeshpeth police station said.
Others named in the FIR against VHP and Bajrang Dal office-bearers include Amol Thakre, Dr Mahajan, Tayani, Rajat Puri, Sushil, Vrushabh Arkhel, Shubham and Mukesh Barapatre under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said.
But no arrest has been made so far, he said.
To maintain law and order, personnel of Quick Response Teams and Riot Control Police are stationed in the affected areas, and barricades have been set up to block roads leading to riot-hit zones. Shops in curfew-affected areas remained shut throughout the day, officials said.
Earlier in the day, the VHP said it won’t tolerate any attempts to glorify Aurangzeb and claimed the violence in Nagpur a day before was pre-planned.
The administration should take stern action against those responsible for clashes and invoke National Security Act (NSA), VHP Vidarbha Prant Sah Mantri Devesh Mishra told reporters.
He also rubbished claims of a ‘chadar’ with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by VHP and Bajrang Dal in Nagpur, which apparently triggered clashes.
Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray accused the BJP of orchestrating this controversy to distract from the state government’s failures. In a sharp attack, Thackeray junior also accused the BJP of trying to “make a Manipur of Maharashtra.’’
“Sadly, when the BJP cannot govern... they resort to violence and riots. If you look at Manipur... that is exactly what they want to convert Maharashtra to. They are trying to dig up the history of someone who lived over 300 years ago, but they cannot speak about the future... the present,’’ Aditya Thackeray said.With Agency Inputs