Large-scale stone pelting and arson were reported in several parts of Vidarbha's largest city on Monday evening after rumours began circulating about a 'chadar' with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seeking the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb
Harshvardhan Sapkal. Pic/Maharashtra Congress
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal on Thursday set up a committee of party leaders to visit the riot-affected areas of Nagpur.
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Large-scale stone pelting and arson were reported in several parts of Vidarbha's largest city on Monday evening after rumours began circulating about a 'chadar' with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seeking the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb.
The committee set up by Sapkal includes AICC in charge of Goa Manikrao Thakare, senior leaders Nitin Raut, Yashomati Thakur, Hussain Dalwai and Sajid Pathan. Nagpur district Congress chief and MLA Vikas Thakare is the convenor and AICC Secretary Praful Gudade Patil is the coordinator, party functionaries said.
The violence and arson that rocked Nagpur on Monday night was a black spot on the state's glory. It was very unfortunate that some people tried to disrupt peace in the state. There is need to ensure peace and social harmony. The committee will visit riot affected areas , talk to the locals," a Congress statement informed.
Thirty-three police personnel, including three DCP rank officers, were injured.
Police have booked Fahim Khan, key accused in the violence, and five others on charges of sedition and spreading misinformation on social media, as per police. Curfew was lifted or relaxed in parts of the city three days after the violence.
Amid demand from right-wing organisations that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's tomb at Khultabad in Maharashtra's Sambhajinagar district be removed, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has put up tin sheets on two sides of the 18th century structure.
The cyber crime department has asked for information from Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube authorities about 230 profiles on their platforms and sought that they be blocked, DCP Cyber Crime Lohit Matani told reporters in Nagpur.
The probe so far has indicated that misinformation was spread initially after some videos were shared on social media, which fuelled the violence and more videos "glorified" the violence, he said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) said CM Fadnavis 'blaming' the film "Chhaava" for the Nagpur violence was a sign of his "weak morale."
An editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana' asked if the the BJP-led government was planning to register cases against the film's actors, director and producers over Monday's incidents in the state's second capital.
The climax of the film depicting the brutal execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj on the orders of Aurangzeb incited emotions, it said. "Blaming 'Chhaava' for Nagpur riots is a sign of Devendra Fadnavis's weak morale," it added.
Fadnavis said on Tuesday that the film presented the true story of the Maratha king, and after watching it people were expressing their anger about Aurangzeb in a big way.
(With inputs from PTI)
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