Maha allies Shiv Sena, Cong spar over renaming Aurangabad city

The Shiv Sena and the Congress,which are ruling allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)government, on Sunday sparred over renaming Aurangabad city,with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party saying it is not ''secular''behaviour if one finds ''cruel and religiously blind'' Mughalemperor Aurangzeb ''dear''.

Hitting back, the Congress accused the Sena and theopposition BJP of playing politics over renaming and askedthem why they did not they remember the issue while they werein power in Maharashtra for the past five years.

Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat,however, maintained that the MVA government of the Sena, NCPand Congress in the state is stable.

Thorat, who holds Revenue portfolio, also said thegovernment works as per the common minimum programme (CMP) andthere is no scope for the ''politics of sentiment''.

Erstwhile allies, the Sena and the BJP, have beenpitching for renaming Aurangabad as 'Sambhajinagar' afterChhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chhatrapati ShivajiMaharaj.

Writing for 'Rokhthok', the weekly column in Senamouthpiece 'Saamana', party MP Sanjay Raut said, ''secularparties like the Congress are of the view that Aurangabadshould not be renamed as Sambhajinagar''.

He said these parties feel that minority communitieslike Muslims will not be happy if Aurangabad is renamed and itwill affect their vote banks, which will raise questions overtheir ''secular image''.

Raut stressed that Aurangzeb was not secular but ''acruel'' administrator.

''Aurangzeb was religiously blind and harboured hatredtowards other religions,'' he wrote.

Raut stated that the Mughal emperor consideredChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as his enemy and killedChhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj brutally.

''There should be no city named after such Aurangzeb atleast in Maharashtra. This (demand) is not religiousblindness. Call it 'Shivbhakti' (devotion to Shivaji Maharaj),Maharashtra's self-esteem or the sense of history. Prostratingbefore those who find Aurangzeb dear! This is not secularbehaviour!'' Raut said.

Countering the Sena, Thorat said those who were inpower at the Centre and in Maharashtra for the past five yearsare now playing renaming politics.

He asked why did not the parties (read the Shiv Senaand the BJP) remember the renaming issue while they were inpower.

The Congress leader further said that the Sena and theBJP have let down the people of Aurangabad despite being inpower in the municipal corporation.

''The renaming issue is being raked up now to misleadthe local people. Our ally in the state, the Shiv Sena, isworried about its votes. Hence it has initiated this 'Saamana'(match) of renaming,'' Thorat said.

He said pretentiousness is the core attitude of theBJP.

''The people look at it (BJP...how it behaves andspeaks as entertainment,'' Thorat said.

Without naming any party, Thorat further said thosewho play politics using names of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajand Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj need not teach him or hisparty about the duo.

''We are Marathi people and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajand Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are our deities. We will notseek votes using our role models and we will strongly opposeif anyone does so,'' he added.

Notwithstanding the differences in views between thetwo MVA allies on the issue, the revenue minister said thatthe state government is stable and strong.

''No one should feel over-joyous (over differencesbetween the allies on the renaming issue),'' Thorat added.