Daijiworld Media Network - Nagpur

Nagpur, Mar 23: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared that the cost of property damage during the Nagpur communal violence will be recovered from the rioters, drawing parallels with the approach of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Fadnavis asserted that strict action would be taken and did not rule out the use of bulldozers against the accused. “All damages will be recovered from the rioters. If they fail to pay, their properties will be confiscated and sold,” he said after a review meeting with police.

When asked about a possible “bulldozer action” similar to Uttar Pradesh, Fadnavis responded, “Action in Maharashtra will be taken in our way. But wherever needed, bulldozers will be used. No one will be spared.”

The riots broke out on March 17 following protests led by VHP and Bajrang Dal, demanding the demolition of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb. The chief minister claimed that misinformation had fueled the violence and confirmed that a replica of Aurangzeb’s grave, not the actual tomb, had been set on fire.

With 92 arrests made so far, including 12 juveniles, parts of Nagpur remain under curfew. While Fadnavis previously termed the riots “pre-planned”, he stated that a final conclusion would emerge after the probe.

The demand to demolish Aurangzeb’s tomb had received backing from the ruling establishment, but RSS leaders have now sought to tone down the controversy. Senior leader Ram Madhav remarked that “fighting Aurangzeb’s ideology is more important than removing his tomb.”

Fadnavis, fresh from a landslide Assembly election victory, has been adopting a hardline stance, reminiscent of Adityanath’s governance style, fueling speculation about his growing national ambitions.