Slogans of ‘Aurangzeb Amar Rahe’ meaning ‘long live Aurangzeb’ were allegedly raised at a rally of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in Maharashtra. The police have also started investigating the video of this incident after it went viral recently. On 24th June 2023, when Owaisi was addressing people in Buldhana, his supporters started shouting slogans glorifying Aurangzeb.
The public meeting in which the slogans of ‘Aurangzeb Amar Rahe’ were raised was held in Buldhana on Saturday, June 24, 2023. Those who raised the slogans also shouted ‘Jab tak suraj chand rahega, Aurangzeb tera naam rahega‘ which translates to ‘As long as the sun and the moon remain, Aurangzeb will be remembered’. Local police have said that some videos are received by them regarding this matter and that these videos are being investigated. However, no complaint has been lodged by anyone so far. The police are also taking legal opinions on the matter.
Buldhana police have said that action will be taken on the matter after taking legal opinion. Recently, posters were also seen in Maharashtra, in which Aurangzeb’s picture with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and ‘Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’ chief Prakash Ambedkar. Prakash, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, also visited Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) and offered flowers at Aurangzeb’s grave.
When these slogans were being raised, the leaders standing behind Asaduddin Owaisi on the stage were also laughing. At the same time, Owaisi was saying ‘yes, rahega, rahega’ meaning ‘yes he will be remembered‘ to calm the people and was asking them to keep quiet with a hand gesture.
Recently, violence took place in the name of Aurangzeb at various places in Maharashtra. The Aurangzeb controversy and subsequent violence started in Kolhapur after a WhatsApp status was put up in support of Aurangzeb.
Apart from Kolhapur, tension had also erupted in Ahmednagar due to the Muslim fundamentalists supporting Aurangzeb. A large number of Hindu activists took to the streets. There was also a war of words between Owaisi and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the issue.