Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday criticized the BJP’s “double-engine” government in Maharashtra over the recent violence in Nagpur. He stated that since the BJP holds power both at the Centre and in the State, they could easily take action regarding Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
“I am not the Chief Minister, nor am I the Home Minister, ask the Chief Minister who is behind this (violence). Because the RSS headquarters is there,” Uddhav Thackeray remarked in response to questions about the Nagpur violence.
“There is a double-engine government here; if the double-engine government has failed, then they should resign…If you want, you can remove his (Aurangzeb’s) grave, but call Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar during that time,” he added.
Following the unrest and demands to remove Aurangzeb’s grave, a curfew was imposed in multiple areas of Nagpur city under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). According to Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, the restrictions will remain in place until further notice.
The curfew affects police station limits in Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodharanagar, and Kapilnagar.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane accused Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi of being responsible for the violence, claiming it was a planned attempt to tarnish the State government’s image.
“Abu Azmi is responsible for this. He started this issue. This was a preplanned violence to defame the government. We will not spare those who raise their hands on our police personnel. Strict action will be taken in this matter,” Rane told reporters.
Abu Azmi had previously stated that Aurangzeb was not a “cruel administrator” and had “built many temples,” asserting that the conflict between the Mughal emperor and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was about state administration rather than religious differences.
Further, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske claimed CCTV footage clearly showed those involved in the violence.
“Stones were pelted, vehicles were torched after seeing the surnames…It is clearly visible in the CCTV footage the people who were behind the incident…The locals are claiming that people from outside in huge numbers gathered and started pelting stones. By seeing the surnames of those arrested it is clearly visible who were behind this incident,” Mhaske told ANI.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the state legislative assembly that the violence “looks like a well-planned attack” and attributed the unrest to rumors that religious verses were burned during Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal protests in the state’s winter capital.