Everyone favours removal of Aurangzeb's tomb; Cong govt put it under ASI: Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said everyone feels Mughal king Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar should be removed, but it has to be done under the purview of law as the previous Congress regime put the site under ASI's protection.

Fadnavis was speaking at an event here on Saturday night.

BJP's Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Asked about Bhosale's demand, Fadnavis said, "We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law, because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASI's (Archaeological Survey of India) protection during the Congress regime some years back." Notably, Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra MLA Abu Asim Azmi's remarks eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb recently kicked up a row.

Azmi was last week suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the end of the budget session on March 26 over his remarks praising Aurangzeb.