Removing tombs of Aurangzeb, other invaders first duty of CM Fadnavis, says Hindu seer

Nagpur: Hindu seer Pragyananand Saraswati Maharaj said the "first duty" of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was to remove the tombs of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and other invaders from the state.

The Shakaracharya (head) of the Dwarka Sharda Jyotish Peeth also said that if the government fails to carry out this task, then the followers of Sanatan Dharma will have to take it upon themselves to do so.

Speaking to Marathi news channel ABP Majha in Nagpur on Tuesday, he said, "You gave land to Aurangzeb, whose descendants today - as fundamentalists and extremists - are attacking Hindus. I have said it earlier and saying it again that the first responsibility of Devendra Fadnavis is to remove and finish the graves of Aurangzeb and other invaders from Maharashtra." "If the government does not do it, then the 'Sanatan Dharmi' will have to come forward to do this work," Maharaj said.

Tension had flared up in parts of Maharashtra last month following demands of removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located at Khultabad town, about 25 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city. Security had been beefed up around the tomb amid threat by right-wing groups for its removal.

Violence erupted in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park in Mahal area on March 17 with stones hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb.

Aurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his battles with the Marathas, who resisted his expansionist ambitions. Maratha warrior king Shivaji Maharaj’s son, Sambhaji, was captured, tortured and executed on his orders.

To a query on last week's Pahalgam terrorist attack, Pragyananand Maharaj said, "This is a direct attack on the 'dharm' that gives shelter to every religion in the world. Today, those very Sanatan Dharmis, Hindu Dharmis are not able to protect their own lives...Their lives are being taken by Muslims and followers of Islam religion which was given shelter."

When asked about a section of people saying Aurangzeb's tomb should not be removed as it is connected to Maratha history, he had said last week, "Why are such people even being heard? Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis should show sentiments like his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath against those powers that are anti-national and anti-religious." "Fadnavis needs to act like a bulldozer on the lines of the UP CM to finish off anarchist elements, anti national and anti-Constitution people and there will be no reason for violence," he had said.

On whether he expected Fadnavis to remove Aurangzeb's tomb, he asked, "Why is the tomb still there? There is no question of expectations. That history, which troubled our great men of India, which was involved in religious conversions and destroyed our temples and places of worship, should have been eliminated by now, and his (Aurangzeb's) and descendants' history or their graves should not have been allowed in this country."