Nagpur violence: Devendra Fadnavis blames Chhaava movie


Amid the ongoing Aurangzeb row in Maharashtra and Monday’s violence in Nagpur, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday blamed Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava movie for people’s anger against the 17th-century Mughal emperor.

Talking about the violence in Nagpur after rumours of a right-wing group burning a religious book spread, Fadnavis called the riots pre-planned.

“This violent incident and riots seem to be pre-planned,” he said in the Maharashtra assembly. The CM also said that specific houses, and establishments were targeted by the mob. He said that it all looked like a conspiracy.

The BJP leader went on to blame the Vicky Kaushal starrer Chhaava movie, the recent biopic of Chhatrapati Sambhaji, for the ‘anger’ in people for Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. But he called on the public to keep the state peaceful.

“Chhava movie has ignited people’s anger against Aurangzeb. Still, everyone must keep Maharashtra peaceful,” Fadnavis said in his speech in the legislative assembly.

Monday’s violence in Nagpur left many damaged vehicles and injured several people, among them at least 15 police personnel, one of whom was in serious condition, a police officer told Reuters.

Police said in a statement that members of the group, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), burnt an effigy of Emperor Aurangzeb and his tomb as they chanted slogans demanding its removal from the nearby city of Aurangabad.