Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 18: The controversy surrounding Aurangzeb’s tomb has ignited a fresh political storm, with the Karnataka Congress and BJP engaging in a heated exchange of words. While the BJP has condemned the presence of the Mughal emperor’s grave, the Congress has accused the party of diverting attention from pressing national issues.
Speaking at Vidhana Soudha, former deputy chief minister and BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan criticized the existence of Aurangzeb’s tomb, arguing that the ruler had caused irreparable damage to Indian culture and traditions. “Aurangzeb was an invader who sought to destroy our heritage. Preserving his grave goes against the country’s interests,” he asserted, emphasizing that people questioning its existence were merely reflecting public sentiment.
Narayan also took aim at minister Priyank Kharge’s remarks, in which Kharge accused the BJP of focusing on historical grievances instead of progressive advancements like Artificial Intelligence. “If Congress truly believes AI is the priority, what stops them from discussing it? Why does Priyank Kharge expect only BJP leaders to address such issues? The nation must come first, and glorifying an invader like Aurangzeb is unacceptable,” Narayan countered.
The BJP leader further criticized the state government, accusing it of prioritizing political gain over governance. “Rather than working on education, IT, and AI, the Karnataka government is focused on exploiting the treasury for political interests,” he claimed. He also raised concerns over illegal immigration, stating that despite some measures being taken, much more needed to be done to curb the influx of Bangladeshi nationals. He urged home minister G Parameshwara to take strict action on the issue.
Meanwhile, Priyank Kharge, minister for RDPR, IT, and BT, hit back at the BJP, accusing it of being stuck in the past while the rest of the world moves forward. “The BJP needs to decide whether they want to build the nation or keep digging up graves. What is the point of such discussions? Will it change history or improve people’s lives?” he questioned, labelling the party’s focus on Aurangzeb as ‘nonsense’.
Kharge also pointed to economic concerns, citing a Bloomberg report that highlighted financial struggles among a significant portion of India’s population. “Destroying an emperor’s tomb will not improve anyone’s economic condition. People have elected leaders to focus on development, not historical grievances,” he remarked.
Responding to BJP’s warnings that Bengaluru could turn into another Bangladesh, Kharge challenged the party to explain how illegal immigrants were entering the city despite Karnataka not sharing an international border. “Who is responsible for securing India’s borders? The union home minister claims to be the strongest leader after Sardar Patel, so why are our borders porous? How are Bangladeshis, Afghans, and Pakistanis reaching Bengaluru from BJP-ruled states?” he asked.
Kharge further questioned the role of the union home ministry and national security advisor Ajit Doval in addressing border security concerns. “Instead of making baseless claims in Karnataka’s legislature, BJP leaders should demand answers from their own high command,” he added.