It reignited...: Fadnavis links Nagpur violence to 'Chhaava'

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the violence in Nagpur appears to be premeditated and the mob had targeted specific houses, and stated that the film Chhaava reignited people's emotions against Aurangzeb.

Speaking in the legislative assembly, Fadnavis said the Vicky Kaushal-starrer Chhaava, based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, brought before the people the true history of the Maratha king.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji, son of Maratha Empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was tortured and killed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

"After that (the movie), people's emotions have been reignited. The anger against Aurangzeb is being exhibited in a big way," he said.

Curfew has been imposed in several areas of Nagpur city after a protest against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb on Monday triggered violence during which several houses and vehicles were vandalised.

Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said 33 police personnel, including three deputy commissioners of police, were injured in the violence, and one of the senior officials was attacked with an axe.

Those who have attacked the police will not be spared, he said.

He said, "The mob targeted specific houses and establishments. It (the attack) appears to be premeditated."

"There appears to be a pre-planned pattern of some people. Action will certainly be taken against them, and whoever has attacked police personnel will not be spared. Normalcy is being restored," Fadnavis said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said there was a conspiracy to target a specific community.

Giving the sequence of the events, Fadnavis said that at 11.30 am on Monday, activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal staged a protest in the Mahal area of the city, demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's grave.

They also made a symbolic grave with hay and set fire to it, he said.

The chief minister said a case was registered against the activists at the Ganesh Peth police station in the afternoon, and the section related to deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings was invoked against them.

He said that by evening, a rumour was spread that the symbolic grave set on fire had some religious content on it. Following this, 200-300 people started raising slogans and threatened to resort to violence, and the police used mild force.

Fadnavis said protesters were also asked to come to the Ganesh Peth police station as they wanted to lodge a complaint against the VHP and Bajrang Dal workers.

"While the police action was underway, 200-300 people in Hansapuri resorted to stone pelting. Their faces were covered. Some people were attacked with sharp weapons." he said.

The chief minister said the third incident occurred at 7.30 pm in Bhaldarpura, where a crowd of 80 to 100 people attacked the police. So, tear gas and mild force were used to deal with them.

A crane and two JCBs were set on fire, he said.

"At least 33 police personnel, including three DCPs, were injured, and one of the DCPs was attacked with an axe," he said, adding that five civilians were injured in the attack, and one of them is in the ICU.

Fadnavis said three cases have been registered at Ganesh Peth station, and police were registering two cases at Tehsil police station.

Curfew is in place in the jurisdiction of 11 police stations, he said.

"A trolley full of stones was recovered. We found that some people had collected stones. There was arson, and vehicles were set on fire. Some houses and establishments were targeted in a premeditated way," the chief minister said.

He said the director general of police had a video conference with the police commissioner and superintendent of police and directed them to maintain law and order.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Pravin Datke, who represents the violence-hit Nagpur Central constituency, said Hindus and Muslims have been living peacefully in the Chitnis Park area for several decades.

Speaking to reporters at Chitnis Park, he said the violence was pre-planned and targeted Hindus.

"It was a well-planned act with homes and shops of a particular community (Hindu) were targeted and not Muslims," he alleged.

Datke said the violence was not sudden because then both the communities would have been targeted.

Expressing confidence in the chief minister, he said the government would scan the DVR and CCTV footage, identify the perpetrators and take action against them.