Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Protests and counter-protests escalate tension in city over renaming

After the government renamed the city Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, it has become a hotbed of political unrest. Protests and counter-protests have erupted in response to the move, with tensions between political parties and social organisations escalating rapidly.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged a counter-movement in support of the name change on Saturday, while the All India Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by MP Imtiaz Jaleel, staged an indefinite chain agitation in front of the district collector's office on Saturday.

On Sunday, Ambadas Danve, district chief of the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) Sena and leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council, and Pradeep Jaiswal of the Shiv Sena (Shinde group) warned the AIMIM against disrupting law and order in the city and accused it of being for the unrest.

The decision to change the city's name was welcomed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), UBT Sena, Shiv Sena, and various social organisations, including the Maratha Kranti Morcha. However, both factions of the Shiv Sena were reportedly angry as some youths displayed posters of Aurangzeb during the agitation.

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"The name change has made some people sick to their stomachs, referring to MP Jaleel's hunger strike opposing the decision. We have demanded that the government should dig up the grave of Aurangzeb in Khuldabad who had brutally murdered Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Sighting of Aurangzeb's poster at the agitation site could disrupt law and order in the city," said MLA Pradeep Jaiswal.

MLC Ambadas Danve says, "If the AIMIM will not tolerate the name Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, we will have to decide to change the name of Khuldabad, where Aurangzeb's tomb is located. The AIMIM-sponsored anti-name change movement has shown its true colours. We will give a befitting reply to the AIMIM in the language that it understands."