Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], March 19 (ANI): Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member Rajkumar Sharma on Tuesday alleged that the violence in Nagpur was a pre-planned attack, blaming it on what he referred to as 'Aurangzeb ki aulad,' claiming that certain groups had deliberately escalated tensions following a protest over the removal of a grave, despite the issue being discussed with the police and the local Muslim community.

Speaking to ANI, VHP member Rajkumar Sharma said, 'Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal announced earlier that they will hold a protest...The protest was over the removal of the grave...There was a grave on which a green cloth was kept, if something is written on it in Urdu, how will one understand, many people don't understand Marathi even after living in Maharashtra...Usually, a green cloth is kept on the grave... When it was burnt, when it was broken, they unnecessarily made an issue out of it...The issue was discussed with the police administration. People from the Muslim community also understood it.'

He explained that VHP and Bajrang Dal had planned a protest over the removal of a grave that had a green cloth on it. The protest was over the removal of the grave. He mentioned that a green cloth on graves is normal, and the situation was blown out of proportion. But both the police and Muslims understood the issue.

He further blamed other people for the violence and said, 'But whatever riots happened after that was planned by the 'Aurangzeb ki aulad'...They gathered in the mosque there; they planned to close their shops, loot the shops of Hindus and attack their houses. This was all planned, and an attempt was made to incite an issue which has no meaning... If the administration feels that the effigy of Aurangzeb was burnt, we have no objection to the administration's action...this country will run as per the Constitution...But these 'Aurangzeb ki aulad' should also understand that this country will run as per the Constitution... If they will get out on the streets, vandalize our homes, burn the vehicles, and destroy the temple, then why is no action being taken against them? Then the Hindu society must react to this by getting down on the streets...'

Sharma claimed the riots was planned by some people. He said they met in a mosque, planned to close their shops, loot Hindu businesses, and attack Hindu homes. He argued that this was an attempt to create a pointless conflict.

Lastly, he questioned why no action had been taken against those who destroyed Hindu properties and temples and warned that if this continued, the Hindu community would have to react.

On the same incident, VHP leader Vinod Bansal said, 'Violence was spread as part of a pre-planned conspiracy. We are confident that the Maharashtra government is taking action against those who were involved.'

Violent clashes erupted in Nagpur's Mahal area on Monday night, where a mob of nearly 1,000 people engaged in large-scale stone-pelting, vandalism, and arson, injuring several police personnel and damaging multiple vehicles and homes.

A curfew has been imposed in multiple areas of Nagpur city under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) following tensions over the demand to remove Aurangzeb's grave, read an official Maharashtra police notification.

According to the official order issued by Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, the restrictions will remain in place until further notice. As stated in the order, on March 17, around 200 to 250 members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal gathered near the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Mahal, Nagpur, to support removing Aurangzeb's grave. The protesters raised slogans demanding the grave's removal and displayed a symbolic green cloth filled with cow dung cakes. (ANI)