Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, who identifies himself as a descendant of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, has petitioned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to intervene and ensure the preservation and protection of the tomb of Emperor Aurangzeb, located in Kuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra.
The appeal comes in the wake of recent communal tensions, including violent unrest in Nagpur last month, where protestors demanded the removal of the Mughal emperor’s grave. Stones were reportedly hurled at police during the agitation, triggered by claims of desecration of a religious text. As many as 92 individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Tucy, who also claims to be the mutawalli (caretaker) of the Waqf property housing the tomb, asserted in his letter that the site is a “Monument of National Importance” under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
“As per the provisions of the said Act, no unauthorised construction, alteration, destruction, or excavation can be undertaken at or near the protected monument, and any such activity would be deemed illegal and punishable under law,” the letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General stated.
Tucy expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the tomb and urged the deployment of security personnel to prevent any further threats or damage.
“Due to the misrepresentation of historical factions through films, media outlets, and social platforms has enabled the manipulation of public sentiment, resulting in unwarranted protests, hate campaigns and symbolic acts of aggression such as burning of effigies,” Tucy wrote.
He also referenced India’s commitment to international conventions, citing the 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
“Any act of destruction, neglect, or unlawful alteration of such monuments would amount to a violation of international obligations,” the letter said.
Calling upon the UN to take cognisance of the matter, Tucy urged Guterres’s office to direct the Indian government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to guarantee “full legal protection, security and preservation in accordance with national and international laws” for Aurangzeb’s tomb.
The grave, which lies in the historic town of Kuldabad, has in recent years become a flashpoint in Maharashtra’s communal discourse. Earlier protests had demanded that it be dismantled and replaced, while others have insisted on its preservation as part of India's syncretic cultural legacy.
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