The Shivaji vs Aurangzeb debate has caused a fresh political storm in Maharashtra, especially after Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi’s remark praising the Mughal ruler. Azmi was last week suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the end of the budget session on March 26 over his remarks praising Aurangzeb. Now, an RTI has revealed that the Maharashtra government gives annual financial aid of Rs 6,030 (Rs 500 per month) to the trust managing the Chhatrapati Shivaji temple while the Central government’s Archeological Survey of India spends Rs 2 lakh annually on the management of the Aurangzeb’s tomb. This has further fuelled the debate with people questioning the ignorance towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. 

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#JaiShivaZee : भारत देश में वीर शिवाजी महाराज के मंदिर के लिए हर महीने सिर्फ 500 रुपये खर्च, वहीं क्रूर, कातिल औरंगजेब की कब्र के लिए सालाना 2 लाख रुपये खर्च…अपने ही देश में शिवाजी महाराज के साथ नाइंसाफी?

शिवाजी महाराज के हक के लिए सबसे बड़ी मुहिम #JaiShivaZee पर पोस्ट… pic.twitter.com/aXTeLJQlk3

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) March 10, 2025

Earlier, BJP’s Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Reacting to the demand, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that everyone feels Mughal king Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar should be removed, but it has to be done under the purview of law as the previous Congress regime put the site under ASI’s protection.

“We all also want the same thing, but you need to do it within the framework of the law, because it is a protected site. The site was put under ASI’s (Archaeological Survey of India) protection during the Congress regime some years back,” said Fadnavis.