Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has backed the demand to remove the tomb of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb from Khuldabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. He, however, emphasized that such an action must be taken strictly within the ambit of the law.
The controversy began after BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, demanded the demolition of Aurangzeb’s tomb. Bhosale, while making a strong statement, said, “What is the need for it? Send a JCB and demolish his grave. He was a thief and a looter.”
Aurangzeb’s tomb is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), a decision made during the rule of the Congress government. Fadnavis, addressing the issue, remarked, “We all want this, but it must be done legally. The previous Congress government had handed over the tomb’s protection to the ASI, and any decision must be taken within the legal framework.”
The demand to remove Aurangzeb’s tomb was further fueled by controversial remarks from SP MLA Abu Azmi, who claimed that Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler and had even built temples. Speaking on March 3, Azmi said, “We have been shown incorrect history. Aurangzeb was not a religious oppressor; his conflict with Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was about power and wealth, not about Hindus and Muslims.”
Azmi’s statement sparked a political uproar, with BJP leaders accusing him of distorting history and glorifying Aurangzeb. On March 4, facing backlash, Azmi retracted his remarks, stating that his words had been twisted and that he was merely quoting historians and writers. However, he defended himself by adding, “Aurangzeb ruled for 52 years. If he was truly anti-Hindu, then how were 34% of his officials Hindu?”
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reacted sharply, demanding that a case of treason be filed against Azmi for his remarks.
BJP leaders and right-wing groups argue that Aurangzeb was a tyrant who persecuted Hindus and destroyed temples. On the other hand, some historians claim that he was a complex ruler who also patronized Hindu officials and built temples.
The controversy over Aurangzeb’s legacy has often been a point of contention in Maharashtra, a state deeply connected to Maratha history. While Shivaji Maharaj is celebrated as a warrior who resisted Mughal rule, Aurangzeb remains a polarizing figure.
Aurangzeb died in 1707 at the age of 87 and was buried in Khuldabad, near Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), close to the tomb of his spiritual guide, Sufi saint Syed Zainuddin. His grave, unlike those of other Mughal rulers, is a simple open-air burial site, as per his wishes. Later, the Nizam of Hyderabad installed a marble grill around the tomb at the request of Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India.
