Govt will do its job, you do yours: Did Nitesh Rane call for ‘kar seva’ of Aurangzeb’s tomb?

Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane on Monday, 17 March, invoked the demolition of Babri masjid and asked Hindutva outfits to do their 'duty' while the government will carry out its responsibilities amid protests by right-wing bodies for the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb.

Rane, known for making controversial comments, also denounced attempts to label Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a "secular king".

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged protests for the removal of Aurangzeb's grave, which they termed as a "symbol of pain and slavery", in Khuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

"The government will do its part while Hindutva outfits must do theirs. When Babri Masjid was being demolished, we did not sit and talk to each other. Our karsevaks did what was appropriate," Rane said.

He spoke while addressing a gathering at Shivaji Maharaj's birthplace, Shivneri fort, in Pune district on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

The VHP staged protests at government offices in different parts of Maharashtra and submitted memorandums for the removal of Aurangzeb's grave.

In case of government inaction, the VHP warned that it would march to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district and demolish the grave.

Rane also denounced the portrayal of Shivaji Maharaj as a "secular king".

"We must continuously emphasise that Shivaji Maharaj was the founder of Hindvi Swarajya. This identity must be reiterated repeatedly so that the attempts of certain groups to portray him as a secular king, can be thwarted (by us) as true devotees of Shivaji Maharaj," he said.

Rane reiterated his claim that Shivaji Maharaj's army never had Muslim soldiers.

"It is not as if only a handful of people understand history while the rest do not. We, too, have knowledgeable sources guiding us.

"The British referred to my king as a 'Hindu general'. When Adil Shah sent Afzal Khan to kill Shivaji Maharaj, the decree issued at the time explicitly stated that the spread of Islam had been hindered during Shivaji Maharaj's reign. These historical records are now coming to light," the BJP leader added.

Rane said he would repeat his "no Muslim soldiers in Shivaji Maharaj's army" stand in the Assembly if given an opportunity.

"We cannot allow a distorted version of our king's history to be propagated," he said.

According to Rane, the true history is being conveyed to future generations through the Hindi movie Chhaava, based on Shivaji Maharaj's son Sambhaji Maharaj.

"Aurangzeb demanded that Sambhaji Maharaj (Shivaji Maharaj's son) convert to Islam. Those who argue that their battle (led by the father-son duo) was not against Islam, how do they explain this? If it wasn't a fight for religion then what kind of war was it?" he asked.

Rane said the calls by Hindutva organisations regarding Aurangzeb's tomb are significant.

"This is a significant day. As a minister, I have limitations on how much I can openly say, but you all know my views. Today I am a minister, tomorrow I may not be, but until my last breath, I will remain a Hindu," he added.