Nagpur Unrest: Hindu-Muslim Tensions Rise Over Aurangzeb Tomb
The Nagpur unrest highlights the deep-seated tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India, with the legacy of Aurangzeb being used as a rallying cry for extremist groups. The situation is complex, with historical and cultural factors at play, and a peaceful resolution is needed to prevent further violence and unrest.
Violence has erupted in Nagpur, India, over the future of the tomb of 17th-century Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, with Hindu-Muslim riots breaking out after a BJP parliamentarian called for the excavation of the grave and a far-right group demanded its demolition.
The protesters claimed Aurangzeb discriminated against Hindus and attacked their places of worship during his reign, but historians argue that his legacy is complex, with both positive and negative aspects. The recent Bollywood film Chhaava, which portrays Aurangzeb as a villain, and the renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, have been linked to the violence. The city hosts the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP.
The police have imposed a curfew and arrested over 50 people, mostly Muslims, in advance of a planned visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nagpur. Maharashtra's chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, suggested that the film may have played a role in inflaming Hindu sentiments. Historians argue that the anti-Aurangzeb sentiment is rooted in colonial-era propaganda and is being repeated by the Hindu nationalist movement.
The situation in Nagpur remains tense, with the future of Aurangzeb's tomb hanging in the balance. The Indian government has been accused of distorting history by altering school textbooks and removing sections on the Mughal Empire, including Aurangzeb's accomplishments. The tomb is safeguarded as a Monument of National Importance, but the Hindu majoritarian obsession with history is seen as a manifestation of their hatred for Muslims, both past and present.