MUMBAI: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government may decide to have a dedicated SIT to inquire into whether there was a larger motive to create disharmony behind attempts to glorify the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Maharashtra.
He was responding to a question raised in the state assembly on the issue by BJP MLA Nitesh Rane who highlighted the case being registered against a youth who had Aurangzeb's picture as his WhatsApp status with the words, "Baap to Baap rahega."
"Aurangzeb cannot be a hero in our state. Our heroes are Chhatrapati Shivaji and APJ Abdul Kalam. Aurangzeb invaded our country. He was a Turkish Mongol. Indian Muslims are not descendants of Turkish Mongols," Fadnavis said. He added, "We will not tolerate any attempts to glorify Aurangzeb. Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje was killed by Aurangzeb, we cannot forget that." He said that earlier the Muslim community would never take out processions with photos of Aurangzeb or use his picture as a WhatsApp status. "Is there some design behind this to create tension. The IB and ATS are looking into this, " said Fadnavis.
Samjwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi said, "You lodge a case against the youth for having Aurangzeb on his WhatsApp status. But when BVA leader Prakash Ambedkar visited Aurangzeb's grave and praised him, why was there no action?" Fadnavis said, "The youth was booked over the WhatsApp status on Aurangzeb because it said, 'This is your father'.