The army of Maratha Emperor Shivaji Maharaj had several Muslims in high positions, including generals Ibrahim Khan, Habibullah, Siddhi Ibrahim Khan, and Daulat Khan. Many Muslim soldiers also fought in his army, willing to sacrifice their lives at Shivaji’s command. Shivaji’s battles with the Mughal Empire and Aurangzeb were sparked by the Mughal expansion policy, with Shivaji determined to keep his kingdom independent.
In a recent interview, Nitin Gadkari, a resident of Nagpur and former national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, emphasized his commitment to secularism, stating, “I will kick those who talk about religion and caste.” He also highlighted his support for Muslim students, allocating his MLA fund to Anjuman Islam to help them become engineers, doctors, and IAS officers.
However, a controversy has erupted in Nagpur over the grave of Aurangzeb, buried 300 years ago, causing a rift between Hindus and Muslims. The dispute led to a curfew in 10 police station areas, with Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravindra Singhal imposing a curfew in 11 areas, including the violence-affected Mahal area ¹. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari have appealed to the public to maintain peace.
