5 min readPuneMar 23, 2025 06:49 PM IST
First published on: Mar 23, 2025 at 05:34 PM IST
Former MP Imtiaz Jaleel, president of the Maharashtra unit of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), denounced alleged bias in police actions following the recent violence in Nagpur. He stated that Aurangzeb is not a hero for Muslims and emphasised that the Muslim community has no connection to the Mughals. Jaleel said that regardless of how much BJP and Shiv Sena leaders attempt to divide and provoke Hindus and Muslims, they will never succeed in their “evil designs”.
Violence erupted in Nagpur on March 17 over rumours that a holy book had been desecrated during a demonstration in the city by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, seeking the removal of the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Khuldabad. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the the authorities have identified 104 accused and arrested or apprehended 92, including 12 juveniles.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Jaleel said: “The police action after Nagpur violence is one-sided. Only Muslim youths are being targeted, which is sending out the wrong message to the community… I want to tell the police that if anyone breaks the law and order, they should act against them. But please do not take one-sided action.”
Jaleel stated that Fadnavis’s remarks have hurt the Muslim community. “The chief minister said they will find rioters wherever they are hiding and that they will be dug out from their graves. This statement is clearly directed only at the Muslim community and demonstrates the partiality of Fadnavis and the Mahayuti government,” he said.
Jaleel mentioned that an atmosphere was being created to suggest something significant would occur in Maharashtra on Holi Day when Hindus celebrate Holi while Muslims go out to offer Friday prayers. ”But at that time also, I had full confidence in my state of Maharashtra that nothing would happen… I knew our Hindu brothers would play Holi, and at the same Muslims would offer prayers peacefully, and it happened exactly that way. Their experiment to incite both the communities had failed on the day of Holi, but later they again made another attempt which resulted in Nagpur violence.”
Jaleel, who lost both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections last year, stated that the leaders of the Mahayuti government—particularly those from the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena—are repeatedly taunting the Muslim community. He claimed they were attempting to instil the idea that Aurangzeb was a hero in the Muslim community and that they were strong supporters of the Mughals.
‘BJP, Shiv Sena spreading false narrative’
“I want to tell the world that the BJP and Shiv Sena are spreading a false narrative. The Muslim community has nothing to do with Aurangzeb, nor do they follow the Mughals,” he said.
The former MP stated that in Maharashtra, Hindus and Muslims have been united since the days of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “No matter how much the BJP and Shiv Sena leaders try to divide and provoke our Hindu and Muslim communities, they will never succeed in their evil attempts. Hindus and Muslims have been living peacefully together in every village and city of Maharashtra for centuries. They get along very well. During Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s reign, both communities played a significant role in helping the Maratha warrior establish swaraj (self-rule),” he said.
“For the Muslim community, the Almighty is everything to us. However, the BJP and Shiv Sena are portraying Aurangzeb as our greatest hero. But how can Aurangzeb be our hero? According to our rituals, customs, and traditions, we offer floral tributes on the anniversary of Aurangzeb’s death, and that is the extent of it. We do not hold processions in his honour or organise events to commemorate him. None of our leaders ever preach at public gatherings praising Aurangzeb. In fact, our leaders and community members consistently speak highly of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who gave us a place of honour in his army and administration during his reign.”
Jaleel said BJP leaders, such as Nitesh Rane, have been making provocative statements aimed at inciting violence, yet the Mahayuti government appears to be disregarding this issue.
“If a leader makes a statement once, we can understand. However, every other day, Mahayuti leaders, especially Rane, are making statements against the Muslim community with the intention of provoking its members. The chief minister could have intervened and advised him to stop, but he never did. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also remained silent. Only Ajit Pawar made some comments, but that was a weak attempt to criticise Nitesh Rane.”
Jaleel stated that the patriotism of Muslims is being repeatedly questioned during the Mahayuti regime. “Let me remind the Mahayuti leaders that Muslims are born and raised on this sacred land. They touch this land with their foreheads. Our country and our land are more important to us than any political leader, king, or actor,” he said.
AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel mentioned that an atmosphere was being created to suggest something significant would occur in Maharashtra on Holi Day when Hindus celebrate Holi while Muslims go out to offer Friday prayers. (Express Archive Photo by Amit Chakravarty) 
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