Removal of Aurangzeb's grave won't serve any purpose: Athawale

Union minister Ramdas Athawale has voiced his opposition to the demand for demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs grave in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district of Maharashtra and said that its removal will not serve any purposeTalking to reporters on Saturday night in Mumbai the Republican Party of India A leader also said that the matter should not be politicisedSome right wing outfits have demanded the removal of Aurangzebs grave located at Khuldabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district Organisations like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP plan to submit a memorandum to the Maharashtra government on Monday urging legal action to remove the grave and have warned of karseva and statewide protests if the demand is not met according to the PTIBJPs Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had sought the removal of Aurangzebs tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as per the PTIAurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his battles with the Marathas who resisted his expansionist ambitions Shivaji Maharajs son Sambhaji was captured tortured and executed on his ordersRamdas Athawale said it is true that Aurangzeb was cruel and killed Shivaji Maharajs son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj But he failed to conquer the Maratha kingdom and ultimately died in MaharashtraHis tomb has existed for many years and there is no need to reopen this issue The tomb stands as a reminder of his misdeeds and its removal will serve no purpose said Athawale whose party is an ally of the ruling BJP according to the PTIWhen Athawale was asked about some BJP leaders raising the issue he said that he does not believe that this matter should be politicisedNeither the BJP nor any other party is involved in this controversy It is inappropriate to describe Aurangzeb as an astute administrator or compare the BJP regime to his rule the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said reported the PTIRamdas Athawale said that since Aurangzeb was buried there in Khuldabad his tomb should remain undisturbedNotably Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Friday called the BJP rule in Maharashtra worse than that of Aurangzeb and claimed farmers were dying in the state because of the saffron party the news agency reportedMeanwhile earlier this month Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asmi Azmi was suspended from the state assembly till the end of its budget session on March 26 following his remarks eulogising AurangzebThe Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar administration in an order on Saturday barred Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote from entering the district from March 16 to April 5 amid calls from some outfits to remove Aurangzebs graveThe order said Ekbotes organisation Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Pratisthan pays homage to the warriorking annually in Pune and intelligence inputs were received about him and his supporters possibly coming to Khuldabad to remove Aurangzebs tomb as per the PTIThe district administrations order said the views of several people on Aurangzebs grave has gone extreme after the release of the film Chhaava as can be seen from social media postsIt added that the VHP and Bajrang Dal have planned agitations from March 17 seeking removal of the tombMeanwhile security has been heightened around the site and visitors are being checked thoroughlywith PTI inputs