National Shame Not Pride: Manoj Muntashir Suggests Transforming Aurangzeb's Grave Into Toilets For Swachh Bharat Mission

Writer and lyricist Manoj Muntashir has shared his two cents in the ongoing controversy regarding the razing of Aurangzeb's tomb in Maharashtra. Descendants of iconic Maratha warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj demanded that the tomb/grave located in Khuldabad in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar earlier known as Aurangabad, should be razed. Muntashir opined that instead of destroying the grave, the government should convert it into toilets.

If Aurangzeb's grave is a place for one to be proud of, then they need to think again about their patriotism: Manoj Muntashir

Amid the political row, Adipurush fame Manoj Muntashir spoke to ANI and shared that the grave of Aurangzeb is not a place to be proud of but a source of national shame. This comes after Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra President, Abu Azmi, glorified Aurangzeb by calling him a good administrator. Criticising the historical portrayals including in the film Chhaava starring Vicky Kaushal depicting the life of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi said that history distorted Aurangzeb’s legacy and that he was not a cruel ruler. Azmi also stated during Aurangzeb's reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar). The remarks stoked a massive nationwide outrage.

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Speaking to ANI on the issue, Manoj Muntashir shared in Hindi, “Aurangzeb's grave is a monument of national shame. What is there in that place that any Indian should be proud of?... If Aurangzeb's grave is a place for one to be proud of, then they need to think again about their patriotism.”  

Manoj Muntashir's solution in Aurangzeb's grave razing row 

Citing the example of the Ram Janmbhoomi legal battle, Manoj Muntashir recalled being told that ‘God is in all particles’ and instead of making temples, hospitals and schools should be constructed. Drawing a similarity now he continued, “When we were fighting a legal battle for the Ram Temple, they had given us advice that the Ram is present in every particle, so a hospital or a school should be built there instead.... I want to repeat what they said... There is no need to destroy Aurangzeb's grave.”

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He then suggested, “Instead, a toilet should be built on it. Swachh Bharat Mission is going on... What can be a better place than Aurangzeb's grave to build more toilets in the country?" Before speaking to ANI, the lyricist had taken to his X (formerly Twitter) account to share a video on the same.