A hardline Hindu organization's recent call for the removal of a tomb belonging to a 17th-century Mughal ruler has sparked significant unrest in Maharashtra, India, culminating in communal violence and the enforcement of a curfew. The clashes erupted earlier this week in Nagpur, a city steeped in history, and revolve around the tomb of Aurangzeb, a figure frequently condemned by Hindu nationalists as a tyrant who persecuted Hindus.
By midweek, while the violence had been subdued, the demand for the demolition of the tomb remained unaddressed. The incident underscores how right-wing Hindu factions continue to draw on historical narratives of Muslim rule to amplify modern-day grievances against India’s considerable Muslim population, which numbers around 200 million.
The conflict ignited on Monday, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji, a celebrated Hindu king renowned for his opposition to Aurangzeb. The Nagpur chapter of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (V.H.P.), a prominent Hindu organization, spearheaded the call for the tomb's removal. Despite being located approximately 300 miles from Nagpur in what was formerly known as Aurangabad, the area was renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023 after Shivaji's son.
During the protests, demonstrators gathered in front of a statue of Shivaji in Nagpur, where they burned an effigy of Aurangzeb draped in green cloth—a color imbued with Islamic significance—according to V.H.P. participant Amit Bajpayee. The volatile situation reflects the ongoing struggle between historical narratives and contemporary religious identities in the region.
