Aurangabad row: Congress claims 'Sena wants to rename city for votes', calls it a 'farce'

three-party Maharashtra government's troubles intensified as state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat on Sunday, calling Shiv Sena-led government's 'name-changing' spree a farce. Pointing out that Shiv Sena-BJP duo was in power from 2014-2019 in both Centre and State, he asked why name change was t done n. While Shiv Sena has reaffirmed its demand to rename Aurangab to Sambhajinagar & Osmanab to Dharashiv, both Congress and NCP have opposed it calling it 'irrelevant'.

Aurangab row: Maha CM defends 'Sambhajinagar' tweet; says 'Aurangazeb t secular'

Congress: 'Shiv Sena bored about votes'

Thorat furr ded that Shiv Sena was rekindling this issue via its mouthpiece 'Saamana', as it cared about its vote-bank. Alleging that Sena was used to such 'farce' in its previous alliance, he affirmed that three-party government will t fall over this. He ded that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was like a god to party and it did t need to flaunt ir 'Maratha' status over it. Thorat's comment also comes amid Congress seeking to remove him as state chief. Similarly, NCP spokesperson Majeed Men called renaming of both places a 'bias against Muslim names', stating it went against secular character of state.

Earlier in day, Shiv Sena's mouthpiece "Saamana" said that renaming of Aurangab might affect vote bank of "secular parties" as renaming will upset Muslim society.  "India's constitution was secular... Aurangzeb h a strong hatred for or religions. He tortured Sikhs and Hindus. Why should we pay attention to ir relics? refore, re is reason for a true Marathi and hardcore Hindu person to have an attachment to Aurangzeb," it said. BJP, on or hand, has backed Sena's proposal to rename city. Or parties like VBA, AIMIM, and RPI too have opposed renaming of city.

Aurangab row: CMO refers to city as 'Sambhaji nagar' in cabinet decision; allies refute

Aurangab-Dharashiv renaming war

war over renaming Aurangab began when CM Uddhav Thackeray's official Twitter handle - referred to city as 'Sambhajinagar' while anuncing an official cabinet decision. Amid Congress and NCP's refusal to go ahe with renaming Thackeray intensified it by referring to Osmanab as Dharashiv, ding, "'Aurangazeb was t secular, hence issue did t fall under MVA's nda". MVA's 'secular' Common Minimum Programme states in its preamble that alliance will take a joint view on matters which have consequences on 'secular fabric of nation'.

problem with renaming Maha's Aurangab Airport: AIMIM MP

Aurangab was a prominent Mughal city in Deccan region and derives its name from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was tortured to death by Aurangzeb. In 1995, a proposal was passed in Aurangab Municipal Corporation to rename city as Sambhajinagar. However, it was challenged by Congress corporator Mushtaq Ahmed in Aurangab bench of Bombay High Court and later Supreme Court which stayed process of renaming city. renaming of Aurangab has been Shiv Sena's longstanding demand.