The politics over Aurangzeb: Why do posters in Mumbai show Uddhav ‘hugging’ the Mughal ruler?
The politics over Aurangzeb: Why do posters in Mumbai show Uddhav ‘hugging’ the Mughal ruler?
Aurangzeb died three centuries ago but he continues to haunt Maharashtra. In a state that reveres Chhatrapati Shivaji, the Mughal emperor is a despised figure. There has been communal tension recently and it snowballed into a political slugfest. Now hoardings of former Maharashtra chief minister and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar “hugging” the 17th-Century ruler have cropped up in Mumbai’s Mahim.
The Aurangzeb poster
The controversial posters were reportedly put up on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Printed on it was a message in Marathi, which can be loosely translated to, “Prakash Ambedkar is dancing to Aurangzeb’s tune and Uddhav Thackeray is backing it” with the hashtag “Uddhav Thackeray for Aurangzeb”.
They have now been brought down but according to the Mumbai Police, there is no information yet on who put them up. “No complaint received so far. Police will register an FIR against unknown people if law and order are disturbed,” an officer said.
Adding fuel to the fire, Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said that Uddhav Thackeray’s new love for Aurangzeb can be seen. “Those who’re compromising with Hindutva, won’t be forgiven by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”
Hoardings of former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar with Aurangzeb’s picture in it, put up in Mahim area of Mumbai.
Posters were put up at night, no information yet on who put them up. It has been removed now. No complaint… pic.twitter.com/I0eVXm8ztq
— ANI (@ANI) June 22, 2023
Ambedkar’s visit to the Aurangzeb tomb
The hoardings were a dig at Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar, and ally of Uddhav Thackeray, who on 17 June visited Aurangzeb’s tomb in Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) and offered tributes to the Mughal emperor.
The visit raised eyebrows and earned criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena.
Defending his decision, Ambedkar said, “What was wrong in visiting Aurangzeb’s tomb? He was a Mughal emperor who ruled here for nearly 50 years. Can we wipe out history? Instead of abusing Aurangzeb, we should reflect on why he ruled here. What were the reasons… We should be mindful of our past. Instead of spreading hatred, let us reconcile ourselves to historical facts.”
War of words
Uddhav Thackeray, in an attempt to shield Ambedkar, downplayed his visit. Speaking at the Sena Bhawan in Mumbai’s Dadar area earlier this week, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said that some parties wanted people to be stuck in history and foment riots in the name of Aurangzeb or something else, as it suited them ahead of elections, according to a report in The Hindu.
“When we used to be allies, [the Shiv Sena-BJP were allies for 25 years] LK Advani had bowed before Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s tomb [during his Pakistan visit in 2005] and PM Modi had gone to Pakistan to eat cake on then-PM Nawaz Sharif’s birthday [in 2015]… There are some who want that people should remain stuck in history,” he added.
This further irked the BJP. Slamming Thackeray, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Uddhav Thackeray is in alliance with Balasaheb Ambedkar. The latter goes to Sambhajinagar and throws flowers on Aurangzeb’s tomb. I want to ask Mr Thackeray whether this glorification of Aurangzeb is acceptable to Maharashtra and the country?”
Fadnavis said on Sunday that no Muslim in India is a descendant of Aurangzeb, and nationalist Muslims in the country do not recognise the Mughal emperor as their ruler. There is only one king, and that is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Muslims also respect him, he added.
Communal tension over Aurangzeb
Ambedkar’s controversial visit to the tomb comes weeks after a wave of communal tension rocked Maharashtra.
Since March, at least five men – some of them teenagers – have been arrested in the state for allegedly putting up posts glorifying the Mughal emperor. The first arrest came on 17 March, after 19-year-old Mohammad Momeen from Kolhapur district’s Sarvade village was booked for a WhatsApp status that supported Aurangzeb allegedly to hurt Hindu sentiments.
On the same day, another FIR was filed against a tempo driver from another Kolhapur village for praising Aurangzeb. In weeks to follow, more complaints were filed and arrests made for similar reasons. Ahmednagar, Dhule and Nashik were also gripped by tension as social media messages hailing the Mughal king started doing the rounds.
Earlier in June, Kolhapur was on the edge as a bandh was called by Hindutva groups to protest against the divisive social media posts. Violence erupted after demonstrators allegedly ransacked shops and vehicles in the city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk. Thirty-six people were arrested for stone-pelting, vandalism, and rioting. Internet services were suspended and prohibitory orders banning assembly of more than five persons were imposed until 19 June.
Amid communal tension in the state, Fadnavis’ outrageous “Aurangzeb ki auladein” remark, targeting Muslims did not help.
But where did it all start? The renaming of Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in February could have revived old faultlines in the state, especially with state government leaders justifying the decision as a move to undo historical wrongs by erasing all mention of the despot from the state.
A look back at history
Rightwing politicians in Maharashtra have often demeaned Muslims implying that they are descendants of Aurangzeb. When Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray wanted to increase his footprint outside Mumbai, he set his eyes on Aurangabad. The city with a considerable Muslim population was named after the Mughal ruler.
Sr Thackeray spoke of Maratha pride and the battle with the Mughals, giving a communal tinge to politics. His party wrested control of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, according to a report in The Indian Express.
After winning the elections, Thackeray wrote in the party’s former weekly Marmik in 1988, “For three hundred years the ghost of Aurangzeb has harassed this country….After three hundred years, history has been repeated and the ‘Mard Marathas’ have buried Aurangzeb in the same soil of Aurangabad.”
In 1995, Sena proposed renaming the city. Twenty-eight years, the party has been split and Aurangabad has been renamed. But Aurangzeb continues to divide the state.
With inputs from agencies
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