The Sakal Hindu Samaj (SHS) held a rally in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, on Sunday to support the government's decision to rename the city Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The SHS is a conglomeration of various right-wing organisations and affiliated outfits.
Thousands of SHS activists started assembling in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar since the early morning and raised the slogan of ‘Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhawani’.
Cooperation minister Atul Save along with activists from various right-wing outfits including the BJP, RSS, and the VHP took part in the rally.
Save said, "Today’s Sakal Hindu Samaj rally is to express our support for renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar. And it is justified. Why should we retain the name of a Mughal ruler who tortured our own King Shambhaji Maharaj?"
On February 24, the Union Home Ministry formally approved Maharashtra’s proposal to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad. The notification stated, "Aurangabad will be called Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad Dharashiv."