On June 18, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, stated 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. Fadanavis made these statements while addressing a public rally in Akola, Maharashtra. The BJP organised this rally in commemoration of PM Narendra Modi-led government completing nine years in the Centre.
While commenting on the recent incidences of glorification of Auragnzed by miscreants in Maharashtra, Fadanavis said, “What happened in Akola, Sambhajinagar, and Kolhapur was not a coincidence, but it is an experiment. How come so many sympathisers of Aurangzeb surface in the state?”.
Fadanavis stated, “How can Aurangzeb be our leader? Our king is only one, and that is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj…The Muslims in India, even they are not descendants of Aurangzeb. Tell me, who is the descendant of Aurangzeb? Aurangzeb and his forefathers came from outside”. He further said, “The nationalist Muslims in this country do not endorse him, and they recognise only Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as their leader”.
During his public address, Fadanavis targeted Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar’s recent visit to Aurangzeb’s tomb in Aurangabad district, especially when last week only tensions simmered in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur after some youth allegedly posted objectionable posts on social media with reference to Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. He also called out VBA ally Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray.
Fadanavis states, “Ambedkar says Aurangzeb ruled our country for a long period. So Hitler also ruled Germany. Many people used to revere Hitler like a God…It was not expected from you. Uddhav Thackeray has allied with Ambedkar. So do you (Thackeray) accept Ambedkar’s act?”.
Fadanavis said, “But Uddhav ji, we know where and what is burning and how he feels. Whenever he is afraid of a leader, he claims that the latter is going to break Mumbai from Maharashtra. He keeps saying it all the time. But I can tell you one thing; nobody can break Mumbai from Maharashtra”.
The Deputy Chief Minister questioned who was responsible for making Aurangzeb’s descendants in Maharashtra and warned that those who tried to disturb the peace would face harsh punishment. Fadnavis criticised Thackeray and claimed that the Sena (UBT) president had taken “script writers” from their allies, Congress and NCP, because no one in his own faction appeared to be left to write speeches for him.
Fadnavis stated, “But Uddhav ji, we know where and what is burning and how he feels. Whenever he is afraid of a leader, he claims that the latter is going to break Mumbai from Maharashtra. He keeps saying it all the time. But I can tell you one thing; nobody can break Mumbai from Maharashtra”. He added, “When Thackeray backstabbed the BJP and joined hands with Congress-NCP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, I had said that I will come back. I not only returned to power, but brought Eknath Shinde as CM along with me”.
During his address, Fadnavis remembered the late Balasaheb Thackeray’s statement that he would close down Shiv Sena rather than join NCP Congress. He stated, “But Uddhav ji kept his ideology aside and indulged in loose talk against PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah”.
Fadnavis also talked about the upcoming meeting of anti-BJP parties scheduled in Bihar, “Several opposition leaders are going to share the stage in Patna on June 23. A photo of the same leaders taken in 2019 had 52 leaders, but the main opposition party, Congress could win only 48 seats. No matter how many creepers come together, it cannot be an alternative to a banyan tree”.
Fadnavis then went on to describe the achievements of Narendra Modi and the BJP government, such as the production of anti-coronavirus vaccines and sending them across 100 countries during the pandemic. India was one of the five countries that were producing the anti-coronavirus vaccines. He also emphasised that central government schemes such as Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Ujjwala Yojana have benefitted farmers in Maharashtra.
