Shivaji memorial to come up in Malegaon, says ISLAM party chief; downplays Aurangzeb grave visit

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Mar 2 (PTI) ISLAM Party founder Shaikh Asif on Monday said a memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be built in Malegaon, a communally sensitive Muslim-dominated city in Nashik district.

Asif's Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra (ISLAM) Party had won 35 seats in the 84-member Malegaon Municipal Corporation, following which its corporator Sheikh Nasreen Khalid became mayor.

"We have decided to construct a memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Malegaon. The decision was taken in the very first meeting of the civic body there. A provision has been made for it in the (civic) budget as well. We are following Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's thoughts as we are from the soil of Maharashtra," he told media here.

Asked about his visit during the day to the grave of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Khultabad here, generally a contentious issue in the state's politics, Asif said he had also visited a mosque nearby as it was the month of Ramzan and prayed for peace and brotherhood.

"I don't want to go into history. I went to a mosque and dargah before visiting the grave of Aurangzeb. Political leaders will keep doing politics. I prayed since it is the holy month of Ramzan. I didn't visit the grave for sympathy from voters," the ISLAM Party founder added.

Asif also criticised the All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), his party's main rival in Malegaon, saying it was the "B team of the BJP".

AIMIM had won 21 seats in the January 15 Malegaon civic polls, followed by 18 for the Shiv Sena, five for the SP, three for the Congress and two for the BJP.

The AIMIM and BJP make people fight among themselves, he said.

The AIMIM gets votes in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar because people do not have any other option, Asif claimed.

"What has AIMIM done for the Muslim community in Maharashtra? Among our corporators in Malegaon, two are from the Maratha community and one is a Dalit," he added. PTI AW BNM