As members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, together with different fringe teams, intensified their demand to take away Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb from Khuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, on the event of Shiv Jayanti throughout the state, at the least 25 police and hearth brigade personnel, together with an IPS officer, have been injured in large-scale arson, vandalism and stone-pelting incidents between two communities within the outdated metropolis of Mahal, Nagpur, on Monday night.
By the way, the violence occurred near the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters, inflicting widespread panic amongst residents.
Eyewitnesses reported that tensions escalated quickly as miscreants set a number of autos ablaze and broken property. Movies of the incidents did the rounds on social media swiftly. Police finally resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear fuel shells to disperse violent mobs within the Chitnis Park, Mahal, and different areas of central Nagpur.
The unrest adopted an illustration by members of VHP close to the statue of Shivaji Maharaj, in Mahal, at 8:30 pm, as they demanded the elimination of the Mughal emperor’s grave, and likewise burned his effigy. Hours later, it was rumoured members of Muslim teams claimed activists of Hindu outfits, together with VHP and Bajrang Dal, had burned a material with the holy “kalma” (Islamic prayer) on it and a holy guide throughout protests.
Following this, a lot of folks from the Muslim group gathered in numerous components of the town, together with Mahal, Kotwali, Ganeshpeth and Chitnis Park.
Nagpur police commissioner Ravinder Singal acknowledged that Part 144 has been imposed within the space to stop additional unrest. Until late night 30 folks have been arrested for rioting. “A material was burned, which led to folks gathering and elevating slogans. We took quick motion, and an FIR has been registered based mostly on the names supplied to us by members of the Muslim group. The incident occurred quickly after the night prayers. Whereas some autos have been torched and stones pelted, the state of affairs is now below management. The police are conducting combing operations to determine and arrest these concerned. We urge residents to not step out or take the legislation into their fingers,” mentioned Singal, including apart from this space different components of the town have been peaceable.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who hails from Nagpur, urged residents to keep up peace and cooperate with the police and administration. “Don’t imagine in rumours. Allow us to work collectively to revive peace,” he mentioned.
Earlier within the day, whereas inaugurating a temple of Maratha king Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bhiwandi, Mumbai, Fadnavis had mentioned, “We are going to shield Aurangzeb’s grave however not permit his or the positioning’s glorification.” He made the comment responding to requires the grave’s elimination.
“It’s unlucky that we’ve got to guard Aurangzeb’s grave because it was declared a protected web site by the ASI 50 years in the past. Aurangzeb killed hundreds of our folks however we’ve got to guard his grave,” he added.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari acknowledged, folks of Nagpur who “are peace-loving shouldn’t be swayed by misinformation or rumours”. “Please don’t come out onto the streets and cooperate with the law-and-order system,” Gadkari mentioned.
Pyare Khan, chairman of the State Minority Fee, and the guardian minister of Nagpur, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, made related appeals of sustaining calm.
The opposition Congress criticized the state authorities over the acts of violence in Nagpur. In a submit on X, the state Congress Legislature Get together chief Vijay Wadettiwar alleged that deliberate efforts have been being made to incite battle between communities, and blamed the ruling celebration for the unrest.
He mentioned, “Nagpur is a peaceable metropolis, however it has been focused by pro-ruling organizations. This unrest is a results of irresponsible statements made by sure cupboard ministers. The CM ought to take away the involved minister from the cupboard.”
In the meantime, BJP MLA from Central Nagpur, Pravin Datke, claimed that the violence was orchestrated by people from exterior the town. “Some folks from a selected group got here from exterior and carried out this violence in a deliberate method. Safety forces have been deployed, and the chief minister is carefully monitoring the state of affairs,” he mentioned.
In Pune, members of right-wing outfits raised slogans exterior the district collector’s workplace and submitted a memorandum – highlighting Aurangzeb’s controversial historical past — addressed to Fadnavis that the Mughal emperor’s tomb be eliminated on the earliest, because it was an emblem of “ache and slavery”.
Saamana slams BJP
Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ criticised BJP leaders over their bulletins to destroy Aurangzeb’s grave and known as them “enemies of the courageous custom of Marathas”.
“Some neo-Hindutvawadia are loudly saying they are going to destroy Aurangzeb’s grave like Babri masjid was demolished. They simply need to unfold hatred in Maharashtra. Marathas fought for 25 years towards Aurangzeb and eventually Aurangzeb who attacked their shallowness was buried on this soil. They need to erase this whole historical past,” acknowledged the periodical’s editorial. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray known as the agitation “a mere gimmick to distract folks from actual points”.
(With inputs from Mumbai and Pune bureaus)
