On June 4, an urs procession was underway in the Fakirwada area of Ahmednagar. Young men danced as a Haryanvi song, Baap Toh Baap Rahega, played in the background. As the procession wound its way to a dargah, a few men held up framed images of the 17th-century Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
One of them was a 31-year-old law graduate from Ahmednagar. “Just like Shivaji Maharaj is an emperor for some, Aurangzeb is an emperor for others,” he told Scroll.
Once the video of the procession went viral, several Hindu outfits in Ahmednagar protested and demanded the police take action.
The Maharashtra police registered a case against the 31-year-old and three of his friends under Sections 298 and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code, which relate to hurting religious feelings and promoting enmity between communities, among others. They were detained by the police for a day.
The law graduate, who says he is a member of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, does not regret holding up the image. “The Constitution gives us freedom to follow whoever we want,” he said. “We did not commit a crime by holding up Aurangzeb’s poster.”
He objected to Hindu organisations stopping people from talking about the Mughal ruler. “Aurangzeb brought prosperity to India too and…
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