Fadnavis Blames “Chhaava” Movie and Rumours for Nagpur Riots, Curfew in 11 Police Station Areas
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Indefinite curfew has been clamped in 11 police station areas in Nagpur following communal disturbances on Monday night which the Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed was “pre-planned and well-organised” while assuring stringent actions against the perpetrators of violence.
The police said more than 50 persons have been arrested in connection with Monday night’s arson and violence including about 25 people who could be identified through the CCTV cameras in the affected areas setting fire to parked vehicles and some shops or pelting stones on the police.
While Mr Fadnavis speaking in the state Assembly and the union minister Ramdas Athawale blamed the just-released movie “Chhaava” for “igniting people’s anger against the Moghul emperor Aurangzeb and appealed to the people to maintain peace, the former chief minister Udhhav Thackeray underlined the futility of face-off over a person who died more than 300 years ago and other opposition leaders viewed it as a tacit move by the BJP to divert people’s attention from the current pressing issues by digging up a long closed chapter.
“The Chhaava movie has ignited people’s anger against Aurangzeb, but still, everyone must keep Maharashtra peaceful. Law and order should be maintained. If anyone riots, we will take action regardless of caste or religion,” Mr Fadnavis said while his deputy Eknath Shinde advised people to watch the movie Chhaava to know the real history and termed those as “traitors” who glorified Aurangzeb. Mr Fadnavis told the state Assembly that the violence in Nagpur appeared to be a premeditated conspiracy and the mob had targeted specific houses and establishments.
Chhaava’s world is one in which the relentless quest to expose the evilness of the Muslim Aurangzeb makes it omit that he came to power on the basis of support from the Rajputs; that his administration had the highest percentage of Hindu Mansabdars in Mughal history (33%); that it also had Hindus in the posts of the Dewan and as heads of two important provinces. Chhaava film sparks controversy by depicting Aurangzeb’s torture, promoting Hindu-Muslim binary, and aligning with ruling party’s ideology.
The police said tension escalated in Nagpur following rumours that holy book of the Muslim community was burnt during protests by a mob of about 300 people over demand to remove the Aurangzeb tomb on the outskirts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, renamed from Aurangabad, organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. The videos of the Bajrang Dal demonstration went viral, leading to outrage and dispute between the two communities. Police resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse the crowds, with several persons injured.
Houses were vandalised and vehicles were torched, recounted the residents of Nagpur, narrating how the violence unfolded n Monday night after calls by a right-wing outfit to remove the tomb of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. Eyewitnesses claimed the police did not arrive on time and a BJP lawmaker accused them of abandoning “Hindu citizens” in the violence.
The VHP had staged a protest earlier in the day demanding that Aurangzeb’s tomb be removed from its site in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. During their demonstrations yesterday, a photo of the Mughal ruler was burnt – it was wrapped in a green colour cloth that “symbolised his grave.” This reportedly led to rumours that sacred verses were written on the cloth, sparking tension in the area. Violence broke out around 7:30 pm at Chitnis Park in central Nagpur, during which stones were thrown at the police and several people were injured.
A mob entered the Old Hislop College area near Chitnis Park and vandalised four cars and houses. They also threw stones at homes and broke the windows before leaving. Another clash was reported from the Hansapuri area hours later with residents recounting that a mob torched their vehicles and vandalised houses and a clinic. An eyewitness said the mobsters had their faces covered. They first damaged the CCTV cameras and tried to barge into houses, he said.
Pravin Datke, the BJP MLA from Nagpur Central, claimed that the mob violence was “pre-planned” and a majority of the culprits came from outside. Only Hindu houses and shops were targeted, he claimed, adding, “It is regrettable that yesterday, the police did not stand with the Hindu citizens.” He said he kept calling police inspector Sanjay Singh for two hours, but his phone was switched off.
The District Collector Dilip Swami on Tuesday assured that the situation in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district was “peaceful.” He apprised about the petition submitted by Bajrang Dal members and said police forces have been put on alert. He said that police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas in Daulatabad and Khuldabad. The administration has requested people not to spread rumours, the DC added.
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, Ambadas Danve, has blamed Mr Fadnavis and his government for violence in Nagpur, and claimed the ruling BJP was trying to disrupt harmony in the state.
Condemning the violence in Nagpur over demands of removing Aurangzeb’s grave, AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan alleged that certain members of the BJP “keep spreading hatred.” Mr Pathan also alleged that the party was trying to divert attention from real issues by taking up the issue of “400-year-old Aurangzeb.”
Maharashtra Congress Chief Harshvardhan Sapkal says, “The incidents of stone-pelting and arson that occurred in Nagpur city tonight are unnecessary and extremely unfortunate. I appeal to all Nagpur residents to maintain peace and not believe in rumours.”
“For the past few days, ministers in the State cabinet have been deliberately making provocative statements, attempting to create social discord. It seems their efforts have succeeded in Nagpur,” he added. “The state is facing numerous pressing issues—rising inflation, unemployment, lack of fair prices for agricultural produce, unfulfilled promises of loan waivers, increased financial assistance not reaching our beloved sisters, and a surge in farmer suicides. To divert attention from these issues, the ruling party has been continuously making inflammatory statements, and this is the result.”
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief questioned the need for a face-off on this issue, pointing out the controversial ruler had died over 300 years ago. “If you want you can remove his grave…. but call C Naidu and Nitish Kumar…” Mr Thackeray quipped.
The reference to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (Chandrababu Naidu) and his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, both key BJP allies – has been seen in the light of the Muslim population in each state, and the importance of their votes to the TDP and JDU, particularly with elections next year in the latter state.
Mr Thackeray also threw in a second jab at the BJP, pointing out Aurangzeb had, in fact, been born in Gujarat; he was born in 1618 in Dahod in Gujarat and died near Maharashtra’s Bhingar in 1707.
Uddhav Thackeray’s comment was echoed by his son Aaditya Thackeray, who accused the BJP of orchestrating this controversy to distract from the state government’s failures. In a sharp attack of his own, Thackeray junior “Sadly, when the BJP cannot govern… they resort to violence and riots. If you look at Manipur… that is exactly what they want to convert Maharashtra to. They are trying to dig up the history of someone who lived over 300 years ago, but they cannot speak about the future… the present.”
“The irony is the grave is protected by the central government…” he added. Aurangzeb’s grave is a historical monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, a decision by an earlier administration that the Chief Minister has publicly rued, saying, “We want the same thing (to remove the grave) but you need to do it within the framework of the law.”
The BJP-Shiv Sena’s allegations of an ‘opposition conspiracy’ behind the Nagpur violence were firmly dismissed, with Uddhav Thackeray pointing out the clashes took place in a city home to the head office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the BJP’s ideological mentor.
“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. There is a double-engine government here and if it has failed, then they should resign…” he told reporters.
The Congress has also responded, with its Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar saying on X, “Deliberate efforts are being made to spread hatred and incite conflict… by the ruling class.”
