A fort built by Maratha king Shivaji in the 17th century and an adjoining tomb of Mughal general Afzal Khan have become a rallying point for several right-wing organisations gearing up to celebrate ‘‘Shiv Pratap Din’’ in Maharashtra.Members of the Hindu Ekta Andolan and Pratapgarh Ekta Sangh have planned a major rally at Pratapgarh fort on November 30 — the day when Shivaji killed Afzal Khan in 1659.The call for ‘‘Shiv Pratap Din’’ comes soon after two groups clashed at Wahi, about 50 km from Pratapgarh, on November 16. The reason was an attack on Afzal Khan’s tomb, around 800 m from the fort.According to Satara Superintendent of Police Prashant Burde, under whose jurisdiction the fort and tomb falls, the dispute has been simmering since 2001. But the situation is ‘‘under control’’, he claimed.Burde told The Indian Express that the district administration met some of the leaders on Friday. The religious groups will be allowed to participate in a rally at the fort, albeit under prohibitory orders. ‘‘There will be heavy deployment of police personnel. We are not leaving anything to chance,’’ Burde said.NCP MLA Shashikant Shinde, however, is sceptical about the police claims. ‘‘The situation may take a twist,’’ he said.
