A violent conflict erupted in Nagpur’s Mahal area following a dispute between two groups over the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. The disagreement escalated into a street protest, during which some individuals set fires and pelted stones at police officers. In response, law enforcement resorted to a lathi charge to control the violent crowd. According to reports, fifteen police officers sustained injuries, and several young individuals were taken into custody.
As tensions flared, a political blame game ensued. Aditya Thackeray, a leader from the Thackeray faction, strongly criticized the Mahayuti government's handling of the unrest. Speaking at Vidhan Bhavan, he questioned why the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) had remained silent while rumors circulated. Thackeray, familiar with the workings of the CMO, noted that it typically responds swiftly to such incidents and receives direct reports from the Home Department. He questioned whether these departments were unaware of the potential violence, especially given that Nagpur is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s home city, and he also oversees the Home Ministry.
Thackeray went on to accuse the BJP of deliberately provoking unrest in regions where it lacks political dominance. He likened the situation to the violence in Manipur, alleging that the ruling party is fostering divisions based on religion and caste to distract from its failures.
He argued that rather than addressing pressing issues like rising violence against women, farmer suicides, and the stock market decline, the BJP is using the Aurangzeb tomb controversy as a diversion.