Fadnavis-Aurangzeb comparison: Din in Maharashtra legislature; Cong's Sapkal defends himself

Mumbai, Mar 17 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal's controversial comparison of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb rocked the state legislature on Monday with Mahayuti leaders demanding exemplary action.

The uproar echoed through both Houses of the state legislature in the ongoing Budget session, with demands for tough legal action against Sapkal, who claimed during the day that he was comparing the "similarities" in governance of Fadnavis and Aurangzeb and not the individuals themselves.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who belongs to the BJP, assured action against Sapkal as per law.

Pawar told the Assembly that the remarks would be thoroughly investigated.

"Certain comments are made to please party seniors and grab eyeballs. But their vote share gets decreased and their true colours are seen. If such wrong remarks are made against persons in important positions, they will be verified and action will be taken," Pawar said.

Sapkal on Sunday said, "Aurangzeb was a cruel ruler. Today, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is an equally cruel ruler. He always supports issues related to religion but does nothing about cases like the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh".

Congress leader Bhai Jagtap, however, refuted the allegations, claiming that Sapkal never made such a statement.

In the council, BJP group leader Pravin Darekar raised the issue as soon as the day's proceedings began.

"Comparing the chief minister, who is governing the state efficiently, to Aurangzeb is a highly condemnable act and an insult to Maharashtra," he said and demanded registration of a case against Sapkal and strict action "to set an example".

NCP member Amol Mitkari also criticised Sapkal's remarks.

Opposition leader Ambadas Danve expressed his disapproval of personal attacks, but accused the government of having an "Aurangzeb-like mentality". NCP (SP) legislator Shashikant Shinde echoed similar sentiments.

Bawankule assured the Council the government would seriously consider strict action against Sapkal for his "objectionable" remarks.

Amid a strident attack from the ruling Mahayuti, Sapkal on Monday said he was comparing the "similarities" in the governance of Fadnavis and that of Aurangzeb and not the individuals themselves.

Addressing a press conference here. Sapkal said, ''The current brutal governance in Maharashtra is deeply troubling. The gruesome murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the Swargate rape case, farmer suicides, and increasing atrocities against women paint a grim picture of the Fadnavis government's rule. In this context, comparing Fadnavis' governance to that of Aurangzeb highlights the similarities between their regimes, not the individuals themselves" "However, some BJP leaders are now equating Fadnavis with the cruel Aurangzeb," Sapkal claimed while refuting allegations that he had disrespected the chief minister by comparing him to the Mughal emperor, widely acknowledged as a bigot.

Questioning why BJP leaders were so agitated when Aurangzeb was mentioned, he said, "I did not use derogatory language against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, nor did I address him disrespectfully. Yet, BJP leaders are resorting to personal attacks against me. When I compared the governance of Aurangzeb and Fadnavis, BJP leaders themselves declared that I was equating Fadnavis with Aurangzeb." Sapkal reiterated that he made the same statement in Ratnagiri on Sunday and during the Congress' 'Sadbhavana Yatra' in Beed district on March 9.

Responding to Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule's remarks, Sapkal challenged him to explain how criticizing Fadnavis' governance hurts Marathi identity.

Why did Bawankule remain silent when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was insulted by actor Rahul Solapurkar and Prashant Koratkar, he asked.

"The Congress party has values. Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog, was a BJP booth-level leader. Yet, after his murder, Bawankule did not even visit his family to offer condolences. Instead, he attempted to negotiate a settlement. In contrast, as Maharashtra Congress president, I visited Deshmukh's family and organized a Sadbhavana Yatra from there," Sapkal alleged.

He said BJP leaders like Bawankule and Narayan Rane were resorting to personal attacks against him, though he hailed from a humble background. This reveals the true face of the BJP, Sapkal asserted.

Acknowledging that Aurangzeb was a cruel ruler, Sapkal said the Mughal had been buried in Maharashtra's soil, which was a testament to the bravery and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"Some forces are trying to erase this history and Shivaji Maharaj's valour. If Aurangzeb was cruel, so were the British. Then will Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad dare to demolish statues, memorials, and institutions that honour those who helped the British regime?" Sapkal questioned.

Several right-wing outfits, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, have been seeking the removal of Aurangzeb's grave in Khultabad in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

During the day, which is also Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's birth anniversary as per 'tithi' (based on Hindu calendar), agitations were held in several parts of the state seeking removal of the grave. PTI ND MR ARU GK SKL NSK BNM

Source: PTI