Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and allied Hindu groups held demonstrations across the state, demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave in Khuldabad near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. In Mumbai, protests were at Azad Maidan, Andheri, Vashi, and other locations. Later, the protestors submitted a statement at the District Collector's office.
The protestors said that Aurangzeb's actions were brutal and have been widely criticised by historians. He destroyed several Hindu temples, including the Kashi Vishwanath temple, the Bindu Madhav Temple, the Keshav Rai temple in Mathura, and the Trimbakeshwar and Somnath temples. He also imposed a tax on Hindus, restricted their religious practices, and had several Hindu leaders, including Chhatrapati Shivaji and Chhatrapati Sambhaji, imprisoned and tortured, they said.
Addressing protestors at Azad Maidan, Shriraj Nair of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad said, "Aurangzeb, a Hindu hater, who murdered his own brother and father, had no connection with this country, its culture, or traditions, and who tortured and killed our religious hero Shri Sambhaji Maharaj, having any memorial or tomb of his in India is like promoting the injustice he did. In this independent India, there should be no trace of any foreigner."
In a statement, the Bajrang Dal warned the state government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging them to demolish the tomb as soon as possible. The group considers the tomb's existence a form of mental slavery and a painful reminder of the injustices inflicted by Aurangzeb, whom they view as an enemy of the nation, the Bajrang Dal said, adding that if their demands are not met, they will organise a 'massive kar seva' (voluntary service) protest, rallying under the slogan 'Chalo Sambhajinagar'.
At a meeting in Nagpur, VHP's regional secretary (Maharashtra and Goa), Govind Shende, said, "If needed, we will march to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and do 'kar seva' (mass movement). Our karyakartas (activists) will remove the grave and throw it in the sea. However, before that, we request the government to work towards removing that grave from the district," he said.
Reacting to the VHP's warning of 'kar seva' to remove the grave, senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh said the state government should take this development seriously and take appropriate steps, as it could pose a law and order situation in the state.
