Violence flared in Nagpur's Chitnis Park area on Monday as clashes broke out over rumours of a community's holy book being desecrated during a right-wing protest demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The unrest quickly escalated, with mobs pelting stones at police, leaving 34 personnel injured.
Nagpur Police on Wednesday arrested Fahim Shamim Khan, a local leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), identified as the alleged mastermind behind the communal violence that erupted in the city on March 17, leaving several people injured.
Khan’s arrest came just hours after his name was officially included in an FIR registered at Ganeshpeth Police Station. Earlier in the day, police released his photograph and a video surfaced showing Khan allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech moments before the violence broke out.
The 38-year-old leader, who is the city president of the MDP and a resident of Sanjay Bagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar, has been remanded to police custody until March 21.
According to senior police officials, preliminary investigations and the video evidence suggest Khan’s provocative speech directly contributed to the escalation of tensions, triggering clashes between communities in the area.
Fahim Khan contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Nagpur constituency, representing the Minorities Democratic Party. Notably, he ran against senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, but lost by a huge margin of over 6.5 lakhs votes.
A complaint was lodged against the protesters after the agitation, accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of a community. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered. Notably, no arrests have been made so far.
In the midst of active investigations into the communal clashes in Nagpur over the tomb of Aurangzeb on Monday evening, the ruling BJP's ideological mentor organisation, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said on Wednesday that the sixth Mughal emperor was not relevant in current times.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the three-day All India Pratinidhi Sabha, convening in Karnataka between March 21 and 23, RSS communication chief Sunil Ambekar said violence of any kind was unhealthy for society, and Aurangzeb was not relevant today.
Signaling its disapproval, although in a veiled manner, about the removal of the tomb of Aurangzeb, located 500 km from Nagpur in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, the RSS functionary advocated peace and said, “Any kind of violence is unhealthy for society.”
On a direct question, whether Aurangzeb was even relevant to current times, Ambekar said, “Not relevant.” Importantly, the campaign for the removal of the tomb of Aurangzeb was being led by RSS-linked organisations, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, when the violent clashes broke out in Nagpur on Monday.
Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has also questioned VHP and BJP leaders for fretting over Aurangzeb who died 300 years ago. Ambekar, while listing out the detailed agenda for the meeting of the All India Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of RSS, said BJP president JP Nadda would be among the chiefs of 32 Sangh-linked bodies that would be represented at the gathering.
He added that two resolutions are expected to be moved in the Pratinidhi Sabha. The first relates to the protection of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, and the other relates to the hundred-year journey of RSS, which was founded in 1925 in Nagpur and is marking its Centenary year.
The Centenary year celebrations of RSS would conclude on Vijaya Dashmi this year.
Ambekar also said that on average 1,20,000 youngsters have been joining the RSS annually, and the youth membership of the Sangh was expanding fast.
At the Pratinidhi Sabha meeting, the RSS would also review its ambitious goal of opening shakhas in every village of the country.
Asked about the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nagpur on March 30, where Modi is expected to share the stage with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Ambekar said it was a routine meeting.
The top RSS official also clarified that this would not be the first time when the sitting Prime Minister of the country would be visiting Nagpur. Earlier, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as the serving Prime Minister, had visited RSS headquarters, Resham Bagh in Nagpur, he recalled.
