Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday hit out at Maharashtra government over the violent clashes that broke out in central Nagpur late Monday night.

Speaking to the media in Mumbai, Aaditya alleged, “I think BJP wants to make Maharashtra the next Manipur… Why did no reaction come from the CMO when violence was spreading in Nagpur?”

“If you take a look at Manipur, the state has been experiencing violence since 2023. There are conflicts across the state. Will there be investments there or growth in tourism? No. They want to put Maharashtra in the same situation. I was reading today that Vietnam is a smaller country than India, and the population is also less, but their electronic industry is 3 times more. Our country considers itself strong, but the BJP is trying to divide the country into districts, religions, and castes,” said Worli MLA.

On Monday night, in a post on X, Aaditya responded to the incident, stating, “The law and order situation in the state has collapsed like never before. Nagpur, the home city of the CM and Home Minister, is facing this.”

The incident from last evening has sparked a political uproar in the state, as opposition parties attacked the BJP-ruled state government over the incident.

BJP is trying to turn Maharashtra into Gujarat: Congress

Congress MP Praniti Shinde, daughter of former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, responding to the Nagpur violence, told news agency PTI, “They (referring to BJP) are trying to turn Maharashtra into Gujarat. Since they came to power, they have repeatedly tried to create divisions in society in the name of religion… They keep attempting to provoke violence like they did in Gujarat… The most surprising thing is that the PM (Modi) himself delivers provocative speeches during his visits… There are so many contemporary issues in Maharashtra, but they don’t want to address those. Instead, they are turning a 300-year-old incident, which is a non-issue, into an issue.”

About the incident:

The clash between two groups broke out in central Nagpur late Monday night amid rumours that the holy book of the Muslim community was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing body demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb.

According to reports, approximately 40 police personnel and five civilians were injured in the violence.

Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal on Tuesday said that over 50 people have been taken into custody, and five FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has expressed concern over the Nagpur violence and appealed to maintain peace.

He said that Nagpur is a land where there has never been violence or communal violence. I am shocked that violence has taken place here. Action is going on in this matter, but I appeal to everyone to maintain peace and order and show patience and restraint because peace and love in the state is the need of the hour. Only then will hatred end.

He said that the holy month of Ramzan is going on, we should maintain peace and order and remain alert in every way.

Mumbai: Terming the Nagpur violence as a well-planned conspiracy in the Maharashtra Assembly, the state’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the situation was peaceful in the morning, but by evening, well-planned police violence broke out and the situation worsened. To control it, the police had to resort to lathicharge and tear gas shells. Now the situation is peaceful. He said that those who take the law into their own hands will not be tolerated, no matter which caste they belong to. He said that strict action will also be taken against those who attack the police, but the way violence took place in Nagpur, it was pre-planned and stones were carried in trolleys and weapons were also collected. The police have also recovered weapons.

Chief Minister Fadnavis has warned in the House that the miscreants who disturbed the peace of Nagpur will not be forgiven. He said that the situation in Nagpur is now peaceful and an alert has been issued in the limits of all police stations, as well as curfew is also in force. He said that on March 17 at 11:30 am, Vishwa Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal activists protested in Nagpur demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. Not only this, the protesters also set fire to a symbolic grave. It was told that during the burning, Kalma Tayyaba chaadar was also burnt, after which the situation deteriorated at 7:30 pm and sloganeering started outside the mosque and the police was also attacked.

He said that the police have registered 5 FIRs in this case, while a case was registered in the Ganesh Peth police station in the morning against the protest held by Vishwa Hindu Parishad under the Police Act including 114 and 299, despite which violence was spread. He said that a DCP was attacked with an axe. Fadnavis alleged that this violence is the result of an organized conspiracy, so action will be taken against such miscreants and they will not be spared. He said that no one is allowed to take the law into their own hands. Attacking the police is unacceptable. It is accepted that the police maintain law and order and in such a situation their security is a responsibility.

He said that there are festivals of all religions and all religions should maintain brotherhood. Although the police have brought out the facts and there is anger among the followers of Aurangzeb, but law and order will not be allowed to deteriorate in Maharashtra and if anyone tries to incite violence, action will be taken against him without any discrimination of religion or caste and he will not be spared.