Amid Aurangzeb tomb row, Ajit Pawar asks to resist divisive forces at Mumbai Iftar

 Maharashtra Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar. File photo
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

As demands from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena leaders to demolish the grave of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb continue to stir controversy, Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar urged people to uphold communal harmony and resist divisive forces.

Speaking at an Iftar gathering organised by his party in Mumbai, Mr. Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, appealed to people to remain united, giving examples of how festivals such as Holi, Gudi Padwa, and Eid foster social cohesion. “These festivals teach us to live together. Our real strength lies in unity,” he said.

Drawing from history, the 65-year-old NCP president invoked the contributions of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, and Jyotiba Phule, noting that these leaders worked to unite people across religions and castes in the pursuit of social progress.

He reassured the Muslim community of his support. “Your brother Ajit Pawar is with you. If anyone dares to intimidate our Muslim brothers and sisters or tries to create communal discord, they will not be spared,” he said.

Mr. Pawar’s comments come amid growing political tensions in the western State over Aurangzeb’s tomb. On March 17, the issue turned into a communal violence in Nagpur, with rumours of a ‘chadar’—a holy cloth inscribed with Quranic verses—being burned by the members of right-wing organisations.

The violence, which included stone-pelting and widespread chaos, led to the imposition of a curfew in several areas. However, the situation has since stabilised, with the curfew being partially lifted in some parts of the city.