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Addressing the Maharashtra legislative council about the Nagpur violence, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde questioned the glorification of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, whose tomb has become a point of contention with right-wing outfits demanding its removal
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s pointed attack came during a spat between the ruling and opposition members in state legislative council. (Image: PTI)
Amid a row over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made a reference to how the United States did not allow Osama bin Laden to be buried on land and disposed of his body in the sea to avoid glorification.
Addressing the state legislative council about the Nagpur violence on Tuesday (March 18), Shinde questioned the glorification of Aurangzeb, whose tomb has become a point of contention with right-wing outfits demanding its removal.
“Who is Aurangzeb? Why should we allow his glorification in our state? He is a blot on our history,” he said. “Even the US, after killing Osama bin Laden, ensured that he was not buried on their land. They disposed of him into the sea to prevent any glorification.”
His pointed attack came during a spat between the ruling and opposition members after he took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab, who alleged that he switched sides from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to the BJP out of fear of central agencies.
The deputy chief minister said the Mughal emperor had offered Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje a choice to convert to Islam, but the latter refused and was tortured and killed. He slammed state Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal’s comparison of the governance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Aurangzeb’s rule.
“Did Fadnavis ever torture anyone the way Aurangzeb did to his enemies?” he questioned, turning towards Parab, who was angered by the comment and demanded the right to respond.
Council chairperson Ram Shinde, however, did not permit him to speak and his microphone remained muted. Despite this, he, Leader of the Opposition Ambadas Danve, Sachin Parab, and other legislators, stood in protest, seeking permission to counter Shinde’s statements, but none were allowed.
“Anil Parab should not forget that whatever I did, I did openly, and I did it to save the Shiv Sena from those who sympathise with Aurangzeb (Congress). It was the Congress that provided protection to Aurangzeb’s tomb,” Shinde said.
About the violence, he earlier said the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal held a protest in Nagpur city followed by the burning of an Aurangzeb effigy. “The police took action against the supporters, but by evening a rumour was spread that there was some religious scripture written on the effigy. It irked some people that later led to violence,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
