Goa, March 24 -- Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has suggested building a memorial for Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, rather than removing the grave of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, amidst ongoing debates over the tomb's presence in the region. Athawale, leader of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), emphasized that peace should be maintained in the country while respecting historical ideologies.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Athawale said, "Don't remove his [Aurangzeb's] grave. But there should be a big memorial to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje in Sambhajinagar." His comments come in response to repeated demands from Hindu organizations calling for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb,...