Last week, what would have been a regular Monday morning for the roughly three million residents in Nagpur turned into an ill-fated one with the place becoming the epicentre of sectarian violence by noon. A completely different reason to hit the headlines for a city otherwise known for its unique variety of oranges earning it the nickname Orange City. As violent rioters torched vehicles and inflicted damage on public properties, one person died and over 30 were injured before a seven day long curfew brought normalcy in the state.
For whom could a bustling Tier II city located a few hours away from the financial capital of India come to a screeching halt? Over a 17th century Mughal ruler who died of natural causes, spent his final days in oblivion and was buried in an open air tomb in Khuldabad. But Aurangzeb never quite died in Indian politics. Which is also why he never quite left the psychology of the mainstream populace that still harbours deep hatred bordering on obsession for the Mughal ruler.
Ironically, the very tomb that nearly 100 volunteers affiliated with the far-right Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) set out to raze, brought him back into the national conversation and national political discourse. “That grave is a black stain on our homeland,” reasoned the spokesperson Amit Bajpai on why the group was protesting while demanding a demolition of the grave. The Mughal ruler’s era is considered a black chapter in the history of the nation as he discriminated against Hindus and demolished their places of worship. The Sikh history too is replete with the inhuman atrocities of the Mughal ruler and the many wars he waged, some of whom he won by deception. “We gathered near the tomb and burnt effigy of Aurangzeb wrapped in a green cloth,” continued Bajpai, whose statement found traction in no time on social media, with most of the netizens already triggered, courtesy the divisive opinions on the ruler.
Controversy over Aurangzeb, neither first nor likely the last
Aurangzeb has always been a favourite tool of those ready to cash in on the politics of polarisation. In the process, the ruler has been sometimes demonised and at other times humanised. Back In 2017, Twitter exploded with sarcastic tweets and memes after author Audray Truschke penned down a book titled Aurangzeb: The Man and the Myth. Let alone a book, even a remark on the ruler or a visit to his tomb has never gone unaddressed among Indian masses.
In 2022, AIMIM leader and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi courted controversy by paying a reverential visit to Aurangzeb’s tomb in Maharashtra’s then ‘Aurangabad district’. The visit sparked a widespread furore with Shiv Sena and NCP questioning the 'provocative act’ in ‘Shivaji’s land’. The condemnation even included calls that sedition charges be pressed against Owaisi. In April 2024, ahead of Lok Sabha polls, the Mughal ruler once again made his way to election speeches. PM Modi during a speech in Belagavi of Karnataka, said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi could not remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who destroyed Indian temples.
The ‘Aurangzeb jab’ went on to occupy national headlines, opinion pieces and a significant number of posts on X. This apart from the to and fro mud slinging and satirical retorts among the political parties of national eminence. A year later in September 2023, the Aurangabad district in Maharashtra was officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led government.
Also read: 'Efforts made to provoke us': Muslim leaders on Nagpur riots
However, the name change did not happen without circumventing political ruckus with parties scrambling to take credit for the changed name. In June, a few months ago itself, the previous government led by Uddhav Thackeray had given the go ahead for the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad city. But surprisingly Eknath Shinde had claimed that the decision to rename the places was illegal.
However, the changed name hasn’t wiped him out of politics. In a similar manner, the demolition of Aurangzeb’s tomb, if it happens, will not automatically translate to his removal from the collective public memory. As time and again, every little aspect associated with his legacy has brought about the revival of the same conversation. Nagpur, the constituency of CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, happens to be a hub of political significance with the headquarters of RSS being stationed in the city. Political analysts predict a sureshot revival of ruckus over the incident especially with PM Modi’s scheduled visit to Nagpur on March 30. Demolition of Aurangzeb is not nearly over, neither from the conversations nor from the controversies.
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