'Owaisi insulted Muslims by glorifying Aurangzeb': Devendra Fadnavis hits out at AIMIM MLA

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis came down heavily on AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi for visiting Aurangzeb's tomb in Aurangabad on Thursday before addressing a rally. In a media interaction on Friday, he made it clear that BJP won't tolerate anyone glorifying the late Mughal emperor. Accusing the AIMIM supremo's brother of insulting Muslims with his gesture, the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly demanded action against him. At the same time, he cast aspersions on the will of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government to take action in this regard.

Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "In the Thackeray government, action is taken if Hanuman Chalisa is recited but no action is taken against those who chant slogans of dividing Kashmir. No action is taken against Sharjeel (Usmani). I want to tell Akbaruddin Owaisi that you have insulted the patriotic Muslims in Maharashtra and the country by glorifying Aurangzeb's tomb. Forget Hindus, Aurangzeb can't even become the leader of Muslims in this country. Because he attacked this country. We will not accept the glorification of  Aurangzeb who tortured and murdered Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje. If someone is glorifying him, action must be taken against him."

He added, "My question is that why are people who probe small things such as a photo being tweeted from Lilavati Hospital silent now? Even if they don't act, we won't tolerate this. We will show him his correct place". Interestingly, Shiv Sena also lashed out at Akbaruddin Owaisi alleging that he wanted to vitiate the atmosphere of Maharashtra. 

Anti-Aurangzeb sentiment in Aurangabad

Aurangabad was a prominent Mughal city in the Deccan region and derives its name from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. On the other hand, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was tortured to death by Aurangzeb. In 1995, a proposal was passed in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation to rename the city Sambhajinagar. However, it was challenged by Congress corporator Mushtaq Ahmed in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court. As his plea was rejected by the HC, Ahmed moved the Supreme Court which stayed the process of renaming the city. 

Incidentally, it was Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who had publicly promised to rename Aurangabad in August 2015. Welcoming the New Delhi Municipal Council’s decision to rename Aurangzeb Road in Delhi as Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road, Thackeray called for Aurangabad to be renamed as Sambhajinagar. He assured that requisite resolutions would be passed in this regard as Shiv Sena was in power both at the Centre and in Maharashtra.