The state of Maharashtra has been plagued by communal tension in recent times. What started out as unrest stemming from social media posts, further went on to become violence that has sometimes even led to casualties and injuries in different parts of the state. Currently, the politics around the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb has surfaced leading to communal unrest.
From Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar
In April, the Union government approved the renaming of Aurangabad city as ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.’ All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Imtiaz Jaleel called for a referendum on the renaming. The party had started a relay hunger strike, which was halted later after Jaleel claimed that attempts were being made to disturb communal harmony in the city.
Aurangzeb pictures on social media add fuel to the fire
Social media posts with regard to Aurangazeb and Tipu Sultan have led to clashes in many parts of the state.
One of the first incidents occurred on March 17, after FIRs were registered against 19-year-old Mohammad Momin and 23-year-old Faizan Saudagar. This happened after crowds gathered outside their residences. Allegedly, both changed their WhatsApp statuses, praising Aurangzeb and criticising Aurangabad’s name change.
Momin spent over a week behind bars, while Saudagar got anticipatory bail.
However, the month of June saw many minors being booked by the police for similar charges in Kolhapur and Beed. An Indian Express report said that at least five minors booked by the Kolhapur police are lodged at a juvenile centre in Kolhapur.
According to the report, it is mostly activists from Hindutva groups that have complained to the police, seeking action on these posts. This is followed by a half-day bandh in the locality, the report added.
On June 10, a man was booked for a social media appeal to celebrate Aurangzeb’s coronation.
Aurangzeb not idolised by Muslims: Muslim Satyashodak Mandal Prez
Speaking to The Times of India, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal’s president Shamsuddin Tamboli had said that Aurangzeb was not a cultural or religious figure for the Muslims of the region. The leader also asked why such reactions were not seen when Nathuram Godse is glorified. He called the happenings in Maharashtra “a conspiracy” to provoke the communities for someone’s gain.
Party politics around the Mughal emperor
Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that no Muslim in India is a descendant of Aurangzeb. Earlier, he had lamented the sudden rise of “Aurangzeb’s sons” in the districts of Maharashtra. “They keep the status of Aurangzeb and show their posters. Because of this, there are tensions,” he had said.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Awaisi had retorted to Fadnavis’ remarks, asking if they know who were the offspring of Nathuram Godse and Vaman Shivram Apte.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) had also commented in an editorial in its party mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, saying that Aurangzeb died more than three centuries ago but some parties were exhuming him for political gains. “The BJP was doing this because their attempt at invoking Bajrang Bali failed during the run-up to the Karnataka elections,” the editorial read.
Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar and a political figure in the state said Mughal emperor Aurangzeb ruled for 50 years and people should be aware of history, rather than abusing him. Ambedkar had also visited Aurangzeb’s tomb.
The ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’ rallies
The happenings in the state followed the numerous ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’ that have been held since November 2022. Often organized by Hindutva organizations, these rallies have propagated the narrative of ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court saying that the Maharashtra Police was not acting against these rallies. Later in March 2023, the Court said that hate speech is happening because ‘the state is impotent.’