ASI shuts Aurangzeb's tomb after MNS comments

Mumbai: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Thursday shut Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra for five days after a mosque committee in the area tried to lock the place on Wednesday, officials said.

On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) spokesperson Gajanan Kale had in a tweet questioned the need for the monument's existence in the state and said it should be destroyed.

Kale's comment came after AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi's visit to the tomb earlier this month was criticised by the ruling Shiv Sena as well as by the BJP and the Raj Thackeray-led MNS. While BJP leaders demanded Owaisi to be booked under sedition charges, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had wondered if such an act was aimed at creating a new controversy in Maharashtra which has been peaceful.

Subsequently, security at the ASI-protected monument site at Khuldabad in Aurangabad district was increased by the Aurangabad rural police and the ASI to avoid any kind of untoward incident and proper screening of every person was being done.

However, the mosque committee requested authorities to close the tomb for a few days along with the police and following which a decision was taken by the ASI.