After some violent clashes between Hindu groups and police, authorities in Nagpur, India, have imposed an indefinite curfew in certain areas. The cause of these clashes are demands to take down a tomb from the 17th century belonging to a Mughal ruler, emperor Aurangzeb. On Monday, at least 15 police officers were injured, with one in critical condition. The violence also caused damage to vehicles and are causing severe tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities.
The violence started when members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist group, burned puppets symbolizing Emperor Aurangzeb and his tomb in Aurangabad, demanding that it be replaced with a memorial for Maratha rulers. The situation got worse when Muslim groups started a counter protest.
The VHP has denied any role in the clashes, while also restating its demand for the tomb's removal. It is interesting to note that Nagpur is the base for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which serves as the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party and has connections with the VHP.