The Republican Party of India-Athawale leader said that removing Aurangzeb's tomb would not solve anything.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has demanded the removal of decorations and installation of CCTV surveillance at the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra. The party also wants a board to be installed at the site stating that Aurangzeb was buried there after trying to "finish" the Marathas. The demands come amid a push by right-wing outfits to remove the tomb. The MNS's memorandum comes amid demand by right-wing outfits to remove Aurangazeb's tomb. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said whether people like the Mughal emperor or not, his tomb is a protected monument, but his glorification will not be allowed.
Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat has announced the renaming of Khultabad, the town where Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb is located, to Ratnapur. The move comes after a demand from the minister, other state leaders, and right-wing groups for the removal of the tomb. The minister stated that many place names were changed during Aurangzeb's reign and the government plans to change the names of all places with "bad" in them. The government also plans to construct a memorial showcasing the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj in Khultabad.
As a ruler he was a pragmatist and adaptable, and trying all the time to strengthen and perpetuate the empire that he and his forefathers had built.He seldom, if ever, allowed his policies to be determined by his religious beliefs, notes Rudrangshu Mukherjee.
'Any type of violence is not good for the health of the society and I think police have taken cognizance of it and so they will get into the details'
The Shiv Sena, a ruling party in Maharashtra, has demanded the removal of the protected monument status from Aurangzeb's tomb in Khultabad. This demand comes after protests and calls for the tomb's demolition from organizations like the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protects the tomb as a monument of national importance. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that the state government will protect the tomb but will not allow the glorification of Aurangzeb.
"Who is Aurangzeb? Why should we allow his glorification in our state? He is a blot on our history," the deputy chief minister said in his closing remarks.
BJP's Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Following calls for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave, authorities in Maharashtra, India, have increased security at the site. Visitors are now required to show identification before entering. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has staged protests and submitted memorandums demanding the grave's removal, citing Aurangzeb's history of conflict with the Marathas and his persecution of other religious groups. The caretaker of the grave has maintained that the situation is peaceful and that visitor numbers have declined since the controversy arose.
The demand comes nearly a month after violence erupted in Nagpur during a rally which demanded the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb.
Ranapati Shivray: Swari Agra is a riveting film that successfully captures one of the most celebrated event of the Maratha warrior king's life on screen, notes Ishaan Zore.
Amidst growing calls for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb at Khultabad in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, the administration has declared the area a 'no drone zone' and deployed additional security forces. The move comes after demonstrations and online posts demanding the tomb's removal, with some of these posts leading to violence in Nagpur. Authorities are actively monitoring and removing provocative content from social media platforms.
' Hakim Khan Suri sacrificed his life in the battle of Haldighati, fighting against the Mughals. Madari, a Muslim youth, was Shivaji Maharaj's bodyguard'
Azmi said during Aurangzeb's reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).
The book, to be introduced in schools from the 2025-2026 academic year, marks a shift in tone in its portrayal of the Mughal emperors, offering detailed accounts of conquest, religious decisions, cultural contributions, and brutality.
The ruling Mahayuti members in both houses of the Maharashtra legislature condemned state Congress head Harshvardhan Sapkal's remarks comparing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and demanded strict action against him. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the remarks will be verified and action will be taken accordingly as per the law. The state legislative council witnessed an uproar after the ruling Mahayuti members raised the issue of Sapkal's remarks, and the proceedings were suspended for 10 minutes. BJP group leader Pravin Darekar said comparing the chief minister to Aurangzeb is a highly condemnable act and an insult to Maharashtra. He also demanded that a case be filed against Sapkal and strict action be taken to set an example.
Fahim Khan, a key accused in the Nagpur riot case, has been arrested in connection with the death of Irfan Ansari during the violence that occurred in March 2025.
Trouble started when some Muslim organisations and Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali took up cudgels against some portraits, claiming it would disturb peace in the state and demanded the expo 'Aurangzeb as he was according to Mughal records' be cancelled.
Gulistan, a rare manuscript of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, written in a golden letters was stolen from a school library in Bihar's Gaya district.
Inspired by the daughter of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, designer duo Abhi and Rahul presented their collection 'Zeb-un-Nissa' on the final day of the LFW.
Nagpur Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said social media was used to vitiate the atmosphere, and appealed to the opposition not to politicise the matter.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi's remarks praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sparked outrage in the Maharashtra legislature, leading to calls for his suspension and accusations of treason. The issue, which was politicized by both the ruling coalition and opposition parties, led to the adjournment of both Houses of the state legislature. Azmi later retracted his statements, saying they were twisted and that he had not made any derogatory remarks against Shivaji Maharaj or Sambhaji Maharaj. The BJP, however, seized the opportunity to slam the Congress and other opposition parties, accusing them of trying to "eradicate" Sanatan Dharma. The Mumbai police have initiated a probe into the matter, registering a case against Azmi for his remarks.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has voiced his opposition to the demand for demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, saying its removal will not serve any purpose. Athawale said that since Aurangzeb was buried there, his tomb should remain undisturbed. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar administration has barred Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote from entering the district from March 16 to April 5 amid calls from some outfits to remove Aurangzeb's grave. Security has been heightened around the site and visitors are being checked thoroughly.
The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing on the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute in Mathura. The adjournment comes as Hindu parties involved in the case are reportedly engaged in off-the-record talks to determine which lawsuit will serve as the lead case. The court was hearing a plea challenging an Allahabad High Court order that designated one Hindu party as the representative for all Lord Krishna devotees.
Senior RSS leader Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi's call to drop the Aurangzeb tomb controversy challenges decades of communal rhetoric in Maharashtra, igniting hopes for unity and a balanced historical narrative.
Efforts to resolve three major religious site disputes in Uttar Pradesh - Gyanvapi, Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah, and Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid - through out-of-court settlements have failed, with all parties insisting on judicial adjudication.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi was on Wednesday suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the ongoing budget session ends on March 26, over his remarks eulogizing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
A MNS leader had in a tweet said the tomb should be destroyed.
The incident took place around 10.30 pm on Tuesday in Vijay Chowk area and four policemen were injured while trying to stop the violent mob, they said.
After MNS threat, some people in Khultabad area, where the tomb is located, tried to lock the structure.
A Bangladeshi national, Azizul Nizanul Rahman, was arrested in Mumbai for staying illegally in India. Police are investigating if he was involved in the March 17 violence in Nagpur. Rahman, a daily wage labourer, admitted to obtaining an Aadhaar card using forged documents. Police are analyzing his mobile phone location and have shared information with Nagpur authorities.
A group of rioters allegedly touched a woman constable inappropriately and tried to disrobe her during violence in Nagpur, sparked by protests against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb. The mob also hurled petrol bombs at the police. Authorities have arrested 51 rioters and filed 57 charges against them.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has called the violence in Nagpur a premeditated conspiracy and said the mob had targeted specific houses and establishments. The violence erupted on Monday after a protest against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb, resulting in several houses and vehicles being vandalised. At least 12 police personnel, including three deputy commissioners of police, were injured in the violence, which erupted in central Nagpur. Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said those who attacked police personnel will not be spared.
Maharana Pratap became a hero not because he won a battle, but because he continued fighting after he lost one, asserts Harishchandra.
A journalist in Mumbai has refused to take down videos of a Ram Navami procession that featured participants shouting profanities and making threats against Muslims. The journalist, Kunal Purohit, has asserted that he is only "documenting hate." Mumbai police have registered an FIR against three individuals for using a loudspeaker to play obscene songs during the procession.
The municipal body passed a proposal, put forward by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi who is also a council member, to this effect at a special meeting convened by its chairman Naresh Kumar.
The cyber police in Nagpur have booked local leader Fahim Khan and five others on charges of sedition and spreading misinformation on social media during the violence that erupted in the city on Monday. The department has also sought information from Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube authorities about 230 profiles and requested their blocking.
Demanding action against those who allegedly put the image of the 18th-century Mysore ruler along with an offensive dialogue on their social media profiles, a group of right-wing activists held a protest on Tuesday. Police pacified them and told them to return.
A Mumbai court has granted anticipatory bail to Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi in a case filed against him for his remarks praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The court, however, cautioned Azmi to exercise restraint during interviews, warning that any irresponsible statement could spark riots. The case stems from Azmi's remarks during an interview where he praised Aurangzeb's rule and claimed that India's GDP during his reign accounted for 24 percent of the world's GDP. Azmi's lawyer argued that his client's statements were made spontaneously and without any malicious intent, while the prosecution opposed the bail plea, arguing that the remarks were made in a sensitive time following the release of a film based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, a revered Maratha king who was captured by Aurangzeb. The court noted that the investigation was at a preliminary stage and that the investigating officer did not have the video recording of the interview when the case was filed. The court also expressed concern over the potential for Azmi's remarks to incite violence.
