Congress MP Praniti Shinde slams BJP, calls Nagpur incident 'diversion tactic'

New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Congress MP Praniti Shinde criticised BJP over the Nagpur incident, alleging that the issue, which dates back 300 years, was being used to divert attention from pressing concerns in Maharashtra.
She targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling him a failure as Home Minister, and accused BJP of attempting to incite unrest in the state and across the country.
"The issue which is 300 years old is a diversion tactic as there are many issues in Maharashtra. Devendra Fadnavis as the Home Minister is a big failure and to hide it, these kinds of things are being done. Continuous efforts are made (by BJP) to instigate riots in Maharashtra and the nation. But the public of Maharashtra does not listen to them (BJP). They want to harm the social balance of Maharashtra," Shinde told ANI.
Similarly, senior congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, also lashed out at the ruling Mahayuti government in Maharashtra over Nagpur violence claiming that it was a "government-sponsored incident."
"This is a government-sponsored incident. T Raja (Telangana BJP leader) should be banned in Maharashtra. He is inciting violence here. Such worthless people should be shown their place. It is the government that is promoting such people," Wadettiwar told reporters.
"Why are they protesting over the Aurangzeb issue when they are in power, both in the state and at the Centre?" he asked.
Meanwhile, District Collector Dilip Swami assured that the situation in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district was "peaceful". He apprised about the petition submitted by Bajrang Dal members and said that police forces have been put on alert.
He said that police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas in Daulatabad and Khuldabad. The administration has requested people not to spread rumours, the DC added.
The ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition in Maharashtra came face to face in the Assembly premises on Tuesday morning with MLAs from both sides seen raising slogans against each other.
While Shiv Sena leaders protested seeking the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, the Opposition labelled the riots "a success of the government."
The Opposition said that the situation in Maharashtra was worsening due to statements made by some ministers in the Mahayuti government.
However, MLAs from the ruling alliance accused some people of glorifying Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
A curfew has been imposed in multiple areas of Nagpur city under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) following tensions over the demand to remove Aurangzeb's grave, as per an official Maharashtra police notification. According to the official order issued by Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, the restrictions will remain in place until further notice.
The curfew applies to police station limits in Kotwali, Ganeshpeth, Tehsil, Lakadganj, Pachpaoli, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Nandanvan, Imamwada, Yashodharanagar, and Kapilnagar. (ANI)