Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) MLA Rohit Pawar has strongly criticized the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb, accusing them of diverting public attention from real issues such as youth and farmers' concerns.
Speaking on the matter, Rohit Pawar said, "When the government is not addressing issues related to youth, farmers, they (Bajrang Dal and allied forces) are trying to distract people and help the government… BJP and its allied associations always tried to change history…"
He further emphasized that Aurangzeb failed to capture even an inch of land under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, crediting Marathi soldiers inspired by Shivaji's ideology for resisting Mughal advances. "Aurangzeb could not capture an inch of land in the territory under the rule of Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje. Even after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Marathi soldiers, motivated by Shivaji's thoughts, never allowed him to capture any land and that tomb is a symbolic indication of this."
#WATCH | Mumbai | On Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and RSS demanding removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar says, "When the government is not addressing issues related to youth, farmers, they (Bajrang Dal and allied forces) are trying to distract people and help the… pic.twitter.com/uikQu2ut1w
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2025
Stressing the importance of preserving history, Pawar stated that Aurangzeb’s tomb serves as a reminder of how power eventually diminishes, adding, "History should be protected so that even 200 years from now, people remember how power can be reduced to just a tomb."
His remarks come amid growing controversy over Aurangzeb’s legacy, with right-wing groups demanding the removal of his tomb from Khodad village in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district. The Maharashtra government has yet to respond to the issue, but opposition parties argue that such debates are being used to polarize voters ahead of elections.
