Nagpur violence premeditated, says CM; 50 held, curfew imposed
Nagpur: More than 50 persons have been taken into custody and curfew imposed in parts of Nagpur, a day after protests against Aurangzeb’s tomb triggered violence in the city, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed the violence was premeditated. Fadnavis attributed the “heightened emotions” to the release of the movie Chhava, which depicted the brutal atrocities committed by Aurangzeb against Sambhaji Maharaj. 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. Another clash broke out in Hansapuri area near the Old Bhandara Road between 10.30 pm and 11.30 pm. An unruly mob burnt several vehicles, and vandalised houses and a clinic in the area. 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. "Social media was used to vitiate the atmosphere and there was no failure on part of the home department, as police stood as a shield between the Hindu and Muslim communities (during the violence), wherein several policemen also got injured," he said.
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 Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shanti Nagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imambada, Yashodhara Nagar and Kapil Nagar police stations, 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." The government should take strict action against such unruly elements, especially in Nagpur, otherwise the situation can worsen, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh said in a post on X. 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.”
“Maharashtra is being strategically led towards making the state unattractive for investment, it is to help the neighbouring state to take advantage," she claimed in a post on X. "Under Shinde all businesses were driven to Gujarat at the expense of the state and under the current CM, the state is being made unviable for investment forcing businesses to move out. Shameless," the Rajya Sabha member said. 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. "I am clearly stating that the Maharashtra government and state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home department portfolio, are behind the Nagpur violence," Danve said. "This government has made efforts for the last one month to stoke Hindu-Muslim violence in the state. Such violence would disrupt the daily life of Hindus as well as Muslims, but (the government) wants to reap political benefits out of it. The BJP and its associated organisations are trying to disrupt the harmony in the state," he said.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Vinod Bansal said the Nagpur violence was part of a conspiracy. “We are confident that the Maharashtra government is taking action against those who were involved,” he said. 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.” “The biggest provocation is coming from the government, and they don't even feel responsible. Pictures of an emperor were set on fire, and despite complaints, no action was taken. I condemn the violence, but the incident must be viewed in its entirety. “The provocative statements from the government are highly inappropriate. The government has failed in its responsibility, and this reflects a failure in intelligence. This incident occurred both in the CM's hometown and near the residence of a Union minister,” Owaisi said.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said the Nagpur violence was a pre-planned attack aimed at spreading communal unrest. “Around 2,000 to 3,000 people gathered and attacked the houses in Mominpura, Chitnis Nagar, and other areas. They pelted stones and attacked them,” Shinde said. “Not only did they attack the common people but they also attacked police officials. These people are trying to spread communal violence and they won’t be spared,” he said. Meanwhile, Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who also hails from Nagpur, have appealed for peace and harmony. They called for calm and asked people not to believe rumours.
