Sanjay Raut: BJP’s Rule ‘Worse Than Aurangzeb’ Amid Farmer Crisis
Mumbai, 15th March 2025: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday criticized the BJP government in Maharashtra, claiming its rule was more oppressive than that of Aurangzeb and accusing the saffron party of being responsible for the ongoing distress among farmers.
He alleged that rising suicides among farmers, unemployed individuals, and women in the state were a result of the current administration’s failures.
“Aurangzeb was buried 400 years ago. Let’s move past him. Are Maharashtra’s farmers ending their lives because of Aurangzeb? No, they are doing so because of you,” Raut stated.
He questioned the government’s stance, arguing that if the Mughal ruler was known for his atrocities, the current administration should be held accountable for its governance. The BJP leads the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra, which also includes the Shiv Sena and the NCP.
“Farmers are taking their own lives. The BJP’s rule is proving to be even worse than Aurangzeb’s,” he added.
His remarks were in response to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s recent statement that “everyone” believes Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar should be removed. However, he noted that any action must be taken within legal boundaries since the previous Congress government placed the site under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India.
BJP MP from Satara, Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had earlier called for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Aurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his prolonged conflict with the Marathas, who resisted his territorial ambitions. His reign is particularly infamous for the capture, torture, and execution of Shivaji Maharaj’s son, Sambhaji.
