Hindu organizations held a massive protest in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur on Wednesday (June 7) demanding strict action against those who posted a viral social media (SM) status praising Islamic tyrant Aurangzeb. The protest, however, turned violent after reports of stone pelting leading to the shutting down of internet services in Kolhapur for 31 hours.

Hindu organizations protest in Kolhapur

According to reports, five (2 men according to ToI) youths had put up an objectionable status on Tuesday (June 6) praising Islamic tyrant Aurangzeb (Tipu Sultan’s picture as per ToI) and an offensive audio message that subsequently went viral. After the incident came to light, members of Hindu organizations held protests outside the police station demanding action against the accused. Hindu organizations also called for the Kolhapur bandh on June 7 which elicited a massive response from Hindu Samaj.

The bandh received support from all sections of the society. In addition to marketplaces being completely closed, services of ST (State Transport), KMT (Kolhapur Municipal Transport), and rickshaws were also suspended. A massive crowd gathered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk demanding strict action against those who insulted Hindu icons (Mahapurush) by putting up offensive status and messages.

The gathered Hindus raised slogans such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai and Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji among others. Sevavrat Pratishtan’s Banda Salunkhe, BJP’s Mahesh Jadhav, Ashok Desai, Uddhav faction City President Ravikiran Ingavale and office-bearers, as well as workers of several other Hindu organizations, participated in the protest.

Groups of people marched raising slogans in various parts of the city such as Mahapalika Chowk, Lugdi Line, Ganji Galli, Bindu Chowk, Panline, Mahadwar Road, Akbar Mohalla, Mutton Market area, and Mirajkar Tigdi to Bindu Chowk.

“They started pelting stones at some shops here. Vehicles were also vandalized at this time. Handcarts were overturned at the Municipal Chowk. Some houses were pelted with stones in Ganji Galli. Fruit carts were overturned near Aram Corner on Shivaji Road. Bindu Chowk on Rajaram Road, the sub-jail area near Spartan Club was pelted with stones by a mob. The glass of the rickshaw was broken. People in this area pelted stones at the crowd. So the atmosphere became tense but the situation was brought under control due to the timely arrival of the police”, noted Tarun Bharat.

“Some organisations had called for a Kolhapur bandh and the members of these organisations gathered at Shivaji Chowk today. After their demonstration ended, the crowd began to disperse but some miscreants started pelting stones, forcing police to use force against these people to disperse them”, Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Mahendra Pandit said.

Police have registered a case against five suspects who posted offensive statuses on social media. The suspects are youths from Gaval Galli, Malwadi, Vadange and Sheikh Galli in Sadarbazar. Two of the offenders are minors. Parag Ratnakar Phadnis has filed a complaint in this regard.

Internet services have been suspended till midnight on June 8 to curb the spreading of rumours, fake and inflammatory messages. Additional forces have been deployed to maintain law and order. Prohibitory orders, banning gatherings of five or more persons, were clamped till 19 June.

It must be mentioned that the Kolhapur incident comes at the same time that a similar incident was reported from Ahmednagar. On Monday, reports surfaced of individuals exhibiting posters featuring Aurangzeb during a procession, exacerbating the already tense environment. To compound matters, a group directed their aggression towards a procession arranged by Hindu organizations in Samnapur, near Sangamner in the Ahmednagar district, on Tuesday evening by throwing stones at them.

The deliberate attempt at provoking Hindus cannot be missed in view of the fact that June 6 is celebrated as Hindu Samrajya Divas commemorating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation to establish Hindavi Swaraj.

DCM Fadnavis’ statement

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) Devendra Fadnavis indicated that strict action would be taken against those involved in disturbing peace in Maharashtra in his media interaction. Both CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Fadnavis assured that those hailing Aurangzeb won’t be forgiven and appealed for peace.

“In some districts of Maharashtra suddenly Aurangzeb’s heirs have taken birth who display Aurangzeb’s photos and put up his status. This is causing ill will and tension in society. How come there is a sudden spurt in Aurangzeb’s children (auladein)? Who is the real brain behind all this? We will find out who is trying to deliberately spoil the law and order situation in Maharashtra as well as those trying to bring disrepute to the state. At the same time, we appeal that no one should take the law into their hands else action would be taken against those who do so”, Fadnavis said.

Islamists hailing Hinduphobic tyrants Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan

Instances of Islamists hailing Islamic tyrants Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan are on the rise. This January, Washim police booked eight persons for dancing with Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb’s posters during Dada Hayat Qalandar’s urs. The case was registered after a video showing them with the Mughal tyrant’s posters went viral on social media.

Two photographs captured of the dancers showed them carrying posters of Hinduphobic Islamic ruler Tipu Sultan in addition to that of the Mughal tyrant. Hindu organizations reacted after seeing posters of the Islamic tyrants in the procession. Protests were held by Hindu organizations on Sunday (January 15) in which they burnt the effigies of Aurangzeb and protested against those who had carried his posters. Following the protests, Mangrulpir police registered a case in the matter.

Aurangabad renamed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar

At every available opportunity, Islamists are seen provoking Hindus by deliberately displaying photographs of tyrants Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. It is a well-known fact that opposition political parties like Congress, Uddhav Faction, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) have a deep-seated love for Islamists and are Hinduphobics to the core.

NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar even said that he would continue referring to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar by its erstwhile name Aurangabad. The Centre gave its approval for renaming Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar & Osmanabad as Dharashiv on February 24. This caused extreme distress to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Uddhav Faction, NCP, and Congress.

It is worth highlighting that despite being in power for the past two and half years, it was only in his last cabinet meeting as CM that Thackeray officially renamed Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv. Interestingly, both NCP and Congress backed Thackeray even though INC had opposed the move all along. However, there were reports that the NCP and Congress were not happy with the decision and had reluctantly backed the move.

The NCP has never lost a single opportunity to display its Hindudvesh and eulogize Aurangzeb. NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) leader Jitendra Awhad, notorious for minority appeasement and hooliganism against those who oppose him, came up with a new secular gem. He opined that Aurangzeb was not a Hindu hater even though he was cruel. Awhad was defending his party colleague Ajit Pawar who had said that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was not a Dharamveer.

There is certainly a political game plan in the sudden rise in incidents praising Aurangzeb in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.