Aurangzeb’s tomb on Maratha soil testament to Shivaji’s legacy: Shah
Amid the ongoing controversy over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday steered clear from wading into the matter, but pointed out that the ruler, who waged wars against Marathas throughout his life, was ultimately buried in their region, after depleting all his resources.
Shah said this during an event at Raigad Fort. Before the event, he paid tributes to Shivaji Maharaj at Raigad Fort on his 345th death anniversary.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar shared the stage with Shah, who emphasised that the legacy of the Maratha warrior king shouldn’t be confined to Maharashtra.
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj should not be confined to Maharashtra. His legacy is a heritage not only for India, but for the entire world. I am not here to deliver a political speech,” the Home Minister added.
Even though Shah didn’t directly refer to the row over Aurangzeb’s tomb, he mentioned how the Mughal ruler was buried in Maharashtra’s soil.
The minister said, “The one who called himself ‘Alamgir’ — which in Persian means ‘master of the world’ — and fought against the Marathas till he was alive, died a defeated man in Maharashtra. His tomb lies here.”
“This is a testament to Shivaji Maharaj’s determination and resolve. His legacy is not confined to one region. Every child should be taught about his story,” the senior BJP leader added.
He noted that despite expanding the Mughal Empire to its greatest territorial extent, Aurangzeb’s relentless wars and blowbacks from the steely Marathas left him vulnerable and depleted his resources. He died of natural causes in 1707 and was buried in a tomb in Maharashtra’s Khuldabad, a town situated a few kilometres away on the outskirts of Aurangabad.
He was buried there as per his wish, near the dargah of his spiritual guide, Shaikh Zainuddin Shirazi.
The tomb is now at the centre of a row, with several right-wing outfits demanding its removal. The issue had sparked widespread violence in Nagpur last month, leaving one person dead and over 30 police personnel injured.
The issue gained prominence following the success of the movie ‘Chhaava’, a drama about the life of Shivaji’s son Sambhaji Maharaj.
Shah said the extraordinary willpower and ability of Shivaji Maharaj to unite people and build an invincible army was unparalleled.
“Without any dynastic backing or resources, he shook the foundations of the Mughal Empire. His soldiers reached Cuttack, Bengal and deep into the south. It was then that Indians began to experience the true essence of freedom,” the Home Minister added.
India