Maharashtra: Sakal Hindu Samaj holds rally supporting decision to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar

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 Shambhajimaharaj.”

The AIMIM has opposed the renaming of Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar. Local AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel has previously held demonstrations outside the city district collector’s office protesting against the renaming.

Jaleel said, “The city has been called Aurangabad for ages. It has its own identity in the name. Why should we object to it? We are not in favour of renaming the city. Those who are renaming are playing politics and instilling communal divide.”

However, Jaleel withdrew his protest that was scheduled to be held Saturday. “It is my duty to ensure communal harmony in the city. On Sunday, some right-wing Hindu organisations are holding a rally. I do not want any untoward incident to happen,” he remarked.

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.”

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have thanked the Centre for accepting the state’s proposal.

Interestingly, the demand for renaming Aurangabad city goes back a long way. Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray raised the demand way back in the 1990s. It was supported by its then ally BJP. However, the issue remained unresolved.

Finally, the Shinde-Fadnavis government managed to get the name changed. Officially, the Congress, the NCP, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) supported the renaming of both Aurangabad and Osmanabad. Making it easier for the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena to rename the cities.

Given the backdrop, many viewed Sunday’s SHS rally at Sambhajinagar as a ploy to polarise the communally sensitive district that has a sizeable 21.25 percent Muslim population.

Commenting on Jaleel’s opposition to the name change, BJP minister Save said: “Let Imtiaz Jaleel first give the name of Aurangzeb to a member in his own family. And then show affection for the city.”

The SHS, which has taken to the streets supporting the renaming, has been pursuing the Hindutva agenda.

In the last five months, it held more than 50 big and small rallies and corner meetings against ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’ across Maharashtra.

Commenting on the ‘land jihad’ issue, state Congress chief Nana Patole said, “The BJP often evokes such new terms to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims. Its politics thrives on polarisation.”