Calls for Peace Amid Tensions Over Aurangzeb's Grave in Maharashtra

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appeal for peace after tensions in Nagpur. Authorities imposed a curfew following demands to remove Aurangzeb’s grave. The police are probing potential conspiracy as clashes over historical controversies escalate.

In Maharashtra, tensions escalated as Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad urged citizens to uphold peace amidst controversies surrounding the historical figure Aurangzeb. Gaikwad emphasized the importance of unity, recalling the inclusive leadership of Maharaja Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. She criticized recent political rhetoric, suggesting it has skewed towards religious polarisation.

Earlier, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde confirmed a police investigation into possible pre-planned conspiracies after a violent incident in Nagpur. He relayed that four DCP-level officers were injured, as police faced petrol bomb attacks, and affirmed that serious measures would address the disturbance. Shinde appealed for communal harmony and public tranquility.

The Nagpur police, under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, enacted a curfew, curtailing movement within specific city areas following protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, which demanded the removal of Aurangzeb's grave. The curfew aims to curtail further unrest, as tensions show no signs of abating.

(With inputs from agencies.)