Shiv Sena-Congress, Uddhav’s party bid face to face after changing Aurangabad’s name – love Aurangzeb is not secularism

Mumbai
There was a heated debate on Sunday between Shivsena and the Congress, who were in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, to change the name of Aurangabad city. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s party said that if one finds the ‘cruel Mughal ruler Aurangzeb’ dear ‘then it cannot be called secularism. In retaliation, the Congress accused the Shiv Sena and the opposition BJP of doing politics over the change of name and asked them why they did not remember the issue while in power in Maharashtra for the last five years.

Maharashtra Congress President Balasaheb Thorat, however, said that the MVA government of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress is stable in the state. He said that the government works according to the Common Minimum Program (CMP) and there is no scope for passionate politics. The Shiv Sena and BJP, which were allies in the previous government of the state, are forming the basis for renaming Aurangabad as ‘Sambhajinagar’ after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Shuffle targeted in Saamana Weekly column
In its weekly column in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, party MP Sanjay Raut said, “Secular parties like Congress think that Aurangabad should not be named Sambhajinagar.” He said that these parties feel that if the name of Aurangabad is changed, minority communities like Muslims will not be happy and this will affect their vote bank, and their secular image will be questioned.

Aurangzeb was a cruel administrator: Shiv Sena
Raut said that Aurangzeb was not secular but a ruthless administrator. Reversing the Shiv Sena, Thorat said that people who have been in power in Maharashtra and the Center for the last five years are doing politics about name change. He asked why these parties (Shiv Sena and BJP) did not remember this issue when they were in power?

We will strongly oppose: Congress
Without naming a party, Thorat said that those who are doing politics using the names of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, do not need to teach them, their party or them about both. He said, ‘We are Marathi people and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are our gods. We will not ask for votes using our ideals and if anyone does so, we will strongly oppose it. ‘