‘Stop Reading WhatsApp History, Read Books’: Raj Thackeray on Aurangzeb’s Tomb Row

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday condemned attempts to incite communal tensions over Aurangzeb’s tomb and urged people to view history objectively, without the lens of caste and religion.

Addressing his annual Gudhi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park, Thackeray criticized the spread of historical misinformation through WhatsApp forwards and emphasized the importance of studying history from credible sources.

Aurangzeb’s Tomb Controversy
His remarks come amid demands from right-wing groups for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, which recently led to violence in Nagpur. He said that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb tried to “kill a thought called Shivaji” but failed and ultimately died in Maharashtra.

“Afzal Khan, the Bijapur general, was buried near Pratapgadh Fort, and this couldn’t have happened without Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s permission,” he stated, suggesting that history should be understood in its full context rather than through communal narratives.

‘Don’t Learn History From WhatsApp’
Thackeray urged people not to fall for historical distortions spread via social media. “Stop reading history on WhatsApp and rather delve into history books,” he said. Referring to recent films, he questioned whether people learned about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s sacrifice only through Bollywood portrayals.

‘A Country Cannot Progress on Religion Alone’
Citing Turkey as an example, Thackeray stressed that religious identities should not dictate national progress. “Religion should remain within the four walls of your home. A Hindu identifies as a Hindu only when Muslims take to the streets or during riots; otherwise, Hindus are divided by caste,” he remarked.

Criticism of BJP Government
Thackeray also took a swipe at the BJP-led Maharashtra government, predicting that its ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme would be discontinued. He criticized the government for failing to raise the financial assistance under the scheme as promised.

Pollution and Environmental Concerns
Expressing concern over river pollution, Thackeray condemned the environmental degradation caused in the name of religion. He showed a video purportedly depicting bodies being dumped into the Ganga and questioned the logic of spending ₹33,000 crore on cleaning the river while it remains polluted.

Maharashtra’s rivers, he said, are also highly contaminated, with 55 out of India’s 311 most polluted river patches located in the state. He warned that Mumbai’s Mithi River, the last surviving water body in the city, is on the brink of destruction due to sewage, chemical waste, and encroachments.

Marathi Language Enforcement
Reiterating MNS’s stance on language, Thackeray warned against neglecting Marathi in official and public spaces. “If you live here and don’t speak the language, you will be dealt with appropriately,” he declared.

With his speech touching on historical perspectives, governance, environmental concerns, and linguistic identity, Raj Thackeray signaled MNS’s continued push for regional and cultural issues ahead of the upcoming political landscape.