Aurangzeb irrelevant today, violence unhealthy: RSS slams Nagpur clashes

The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) today signalled disapproval of demands to remove Aurangzeb’s tomb, which triggered the Monday violence in Nagpur, and said the sixth Mughal emperor was irrelevant to current times.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a three-day meeting of the All India Pratinidhi Sabha, the RSS’ highest decision-making body, in Bengaluru between March 21 and 23, Sangh’s national communication chief Sunil Ambekar said violence of any kind was unhealthy for society.

To a pointed question on whether Aurangzeb was relevant today, Ambekar said, “Not relevant.”

PM to visit Sangh HQ on March 30

Sangh leader Sunil Ambekar said PM Modi would visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on March 30 and share the stage with Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. He said this would not be the first time when a sitting PM would visit the RSS’ Resham Bagh complex. Earlier, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as serving PM, had visited it.

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His remarks came a day after the Maharashtra Opposition, led by former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, questioned the demand to remove the grave of a man who lived 300 years ago.

The Nagpur violence followed a Monday protest by RSS-linked Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal members who burnt effigies of the Mughal emperor and demanded that his grave, located at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Nagar, 500 km from Nagpur, be removed. Some BJP leaders in Maharashtra have also echoed similar demands.

The RSS’ stand, distancing from the demand and categorically terming the violence “unhealthy”, is important considering the Karnataka meeting will be attended by all its 32 affiliates, including the BJP and the VHP.

Ambekar also confirmed today that BJP president JP Nadda would attend the meeting.

Listing the agenda for the gathering, Ambekar said the Pratinidhi Sabha would take up two resolutions — one on the protection of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and the other on the RSS completing 100 years on Vijaya Dashmi this year.

“We will discuss plans for the expansion of the Sangh and whether the target of setting up shakhas in every mandal was achieved,” Ambedkar said, adding that youth participation in the RSS was rising, with 1.2 lakh average inductions annually.

Previously too, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had advised Hindus not to “look for shivlings in every mosque”. The Sangh has framed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement as a standalone campaign of faith and has said there cannot be similar movements for everything. The remarks have been seen as a message to the majority community at the time of Hindu claims on multiple mosques across India, with most cases sub judice.