Yaqoob Habibuddin Tucy, who claims to be a descendant of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, has written a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres urging protection of the tomb of Emperor Aurangzeb, located in Khuldabad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), Maharashtra.
This appeal follows recent unrest in Nagpur, where a rally calling for the demolition of Aurangzeb’s tomb led to violent clashes approximately a month ago.
Tucy, who also claims to be the custodian of the tomb’s waqf (endowment) property, stated that the tomb is a monument of national importance and is protected under India’s Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. In his letter, he emphasized that unauthorized construction, alteration, destruction, or excavation at such protected sites is strictly prohibited and punishable by law.
Expressing concern over the current state of the tomb, he called for the deployment of security personnel to ensure its safety.
He further criticized the misrepresentation of historical facts through films, media, and social media, which he said is inciting public sentiment and leading to unnecessary protests, hate campaigns, and symbolic acts such as the burning of effigies.
Tucy invoked international conventions, including UNESCO’s 1972 World Heritage Convention, which India is a signatory to, arguing that the destruction or neglect of such heritage sites would constitute a breach of global obligations.
He urged the United Nations to take notice and direct India’s central government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to provide full legal protection, security, and maintenance for the site.
It is worth noting that on March 17, violent clashes broke out in Nagpur during a protest calling for the removal of the tomb. Allegations emerged of the burning of a holy book, leading to stone-pelting and unrest. To date, 92 individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident.
