New Delhi:
The success of the Bollywood movie ‘Chhaava’ and the latest statements by some leaders, together with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, have thrust Aurangzeb into the highlight as soon as once more, greater than 300 years after his loss of life in 1707.
‘Chhaava’ is predicated on the lifetime of Chhatrapati Sambhaji, the son of legendary Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was captured by Aurangzeb’s commander in 1689 at Sangamneshwar. Chhatrapati Sambhaji was put to loss of life on the Mughal emperor’s orders later the identical yr.
Whereas historians debate whether or not Aurangzeb was a non secular fanatic or just used faith as a instrument for furthering his maintain on energy, Maharashtra has historically seen the Mughal emperor as a historic antagonist due to his frequent conflicts towards the Marathas, which was a part of a concerted effort to broaden into the Deccan. Feelings ran excessive after the movie’s launch. Then Samajwadi Get together MLA Abu Azmi fanned the flames together with his remark that Aurangzeb “was not a merciless ruler” and that he had additionally acquired Hindu temples constructed.
Talking outdoors the Maharashtra Meeting earlier this month, Abu Azmi stated, “Aurangzeb acquired a number of temples constructed. In Varanasi, he saved a Hindu woman from a priest who had an evil eye on her. He had the priest trampled by elephants.”
“I do not contemplate Aurangzeb a merciless ruler. Throughout that period, energy struggles had been political, not non secular. Aurangzeb’s military had many Hindus, simply as Chhatrapati Shivaji’s military had a number of Muslims,” he added.
Mr Azmi was suspended from the Maharashtra Meeting for the rest of the continued Funds session and was pressured to retract his remarks.
“No matter I’ve stated about Aurangzeb is one thing that has been said by historians and writers. I’ve not made any derogatory remarks towards Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any nationwide icons. Nonetheless, if anybody is damage by my remarks, then I take again my statements and feedback,” he stated.
On Tuesday, he additionally paid tributes to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj on his loss of life anniversary and referred to as him a “valiant warrior”.
The injury management proved to have come too late, nevertheless, with Maharashtra Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil saying that Mr Azmi’s assertion had damage the dignity of the Home and even some opposition leaders, together with Ambadas Danve of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) asking why the Samajwadi Get together MLA from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar had not been arrested. At the least one case was additionally filed towards him.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis – a frontrunner from the BJP, which has usually spoken out towards Aurangzeb and the therapy of Hindus beneath his rule – stated Mr Azmi will “100 per cent” be put in jail. His outrage over Mr Azmi’s feedback was additionally shared by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena.
Tomb Row
BJP’s Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, lately sought the elimination of Aurangzeb’s tomb from Khulabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district – whose title was modified from Aurangabad (after Aurangzeb) in 2022.
“What’s the want… ship a JCB machine and raze his grave… he was a thief and lootera (robber)… Those that go to Aurangzeb’s tomb and pay homage could also be his future. They need to take that tomb to their very own houses, however the glorification of Aurangzeb won’t be tolerated anymore,” Mr Bhosale had stated.
On Saturday, Mr Fadnavis was requested about Mr Bhosale’s demand and he favoured the elimination of the tomb, however stated it needs to be achieved following the regulation for the reason that Congress-led regime had put the location beneath the safety of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
“All of us additionally need the identical factor, however you could do it throughout the framework of the regulation, as a result of it’s a protected website. The location was put beneath ASI’s safety in the course of the Congress regime a number of years in the past,” the Maharashtra Chief Minister stated.
Enduring Sentiment?
The opposition to Aurangzeb amongst some sections of society goes again no less than to the time of activist and social reformer Jyotiba Phule and freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.
Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray usually spoke out towards Aurangzeb and his impression on Hindus and this was continued by his son and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Even after Akhilesh Yadav backed Abu Azmi, Uddhav Thackeray, who’s an ally of the Samajwadi Get together chief within the INDIA alliance, supported the chief’s suspension and stated that every one of Maharashtra has raised an objection towards him.
Controversies round Aurangzeb swirled in 2021 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated invaders just like the Mughal emperor had tried to destroy Varanasi – 2022, when AIMIM chief Akbaruddin Owaisi visited the Mughal emperor’s tomb and once more in 2023, when then deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis used the phrases “Aurangzeb ki ‘aulaad’ (progeny)” after some folks displayed the previous king’s photographs and used them as on-line standing messages.
Aurangzeb dominated the discourse once more forward of the Maharashtra Meeting elections final yr when the BJP accused its former ally Uddhav Thackeray of discarding the legacy of Chhatrapati and carrying the ‘palki’ (palanquin) of Aurangzeb. House Minister Amit Shah had described Mr Thackeray because the chief of the “Aurangzeb Fan Membership”.
Talking in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, PM Modi had stated Congress and its allies abuse Veer Savarkar and keep mum about Bal Thackeray. In an assault on the opposition, he had requested folks whether or not they would vote for many who comply with Sambhaji or these propagating Aurangzeb’s concepts.
Source link
#Savarkar #iChhaavai #Abu #Azmi #Spotlight #Aurangzeb #Years
