In the western Indian state of Maharashtra, escalating communal tensions have erupted following a hard-line Hindu organization's demand for the removal of the tomb belonging to Aurangzeb, a 17th-century Mughal ruler. Early this week, clashes in the city of Nagpur prompted the imposition of a curfew as violence unfolded, reflecting the ongoing friction between Hindu and Muslim communities in the region.
At the heart of this discord is the long-held perception of Aurangzeb, vilified by Hindu nationalists as a tyrant who persecuted Hindus during his reign. The turmoil began on Monday, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji, an esteemed Hindu king known for his opposition to Aurangzeb. A local unit of the right-wing organization Vishwa Hindu Parishad (V.H.P.) rallied for the demolition of the tomb, which lies in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, over 300 miles from Nagpur but symbolically significant to Shivaji supporters.
During their protest, V.H.P. members burned an effigy of Aurangzeb wrapped in a green cloth, a color associated with Islam, in front of a statue of Shivaji. Despite the violence being contained by midweek and authorities overlooking the demolition demands, this incident underscores how contemporary Hindu leaders exploit historical grievances as a means of stoking discord against India’s Muslim population, which numbers around 200 million. The events in Nagpur exemplify the ongoing impact of historical narratives on modern communal relations, urging a need for dialogue to avoid further escalations.
