Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Monday stirred controversy by invoking the demolition of the Babri Masjid while addressing ongoing demands from right-wing groups to remove Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Rane, known for his hardline Hindutva stance, declared that while the government would do its job, Hindutva organisations must fulfill their role.
“The government will do its part while Hindutva outfits must do theirs. When the Babri Masjid was being demolished, we did not sit and talk. Our karsevaks did what was appropriate,” Rane said while speaking at Shivaji Maharaj’s birthplace, Shivneri Fort, in Pune on the occasion of the Maratha king’s birth anniversary.
His statement came amid intensified protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which has labeled Aurangzeb’s tomb a “symbol of pain and slavery.” The VHP has staged demonstrations across Maharashtra, demanding the site’s removal and warning that if the government fails to act, they will take matters into their own hands.
Rane also took aim at efforts to portray Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a “secular king,” rejecting such claims. “Shivaji Maharaj was the founder of Hindvi Swarajya, and this identity must be reinforced. Some people are trying to distort history, but we will not allow it,” he asserted.
Reiterating his controversial stance, Rane claimed that Shivaji Maharaj’s army never had Muslim soldiers. “The British referred to my king as a Hindu General. When Adil Shah sent Afzal Khan to kill Shivaji Maharaj, the decree clearly stated that the spread of Islam had been hindered during his reign. These historical records are now coming to light,” he said.
The minister also praised the upcoming Bollywood movie Chhaava, which depicts the life of Shivaji Maharaj’s son, Sambhaji Maharaj. “Aurangzeb demanded that Sambhaji Maharaj convert to Islam. If their battle was not about religion, then what was it?” Rane asked, reinforcing his assertion that the Marathas fought a religious war against Mughal rulers.
Speaking on the calls for Aurangzeb’s tomb to be razed, Rane called the movement “significant” and hinted at his personal support. “As a minister, I have limitations on how much I can openly say, but you all know my views. Today, I am a minister. Tomorrow, I may not be. But until my last breath, I will remain a Hindu,” he declared.
The remarks have sparked fresh political debate in Maharashtra, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of fueling communal tensions for electoral gains. While the government has yet to take a clear stand on the fate of Aurangzeb’s tomb, Rane’s comments have further escalated tensions over the issue.
