FLASH
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Despite being dead for more than 300 years, this Indian ruler is still making waves in the country's politics.
Aurangzeb Alamgir has become so central to India's fraught political moment that his memory is leading to sectarian violence across the country.
The sixth emperor of the famous Mughal dynasty, he is considered by many critics to be a tyrant who brutalized women, razed Hindu temples, forced religious conversions and waged wars against Hindu and Sikh rulers.
And in a nation now almost entirely under the control of Hindu nationalists, Aurangzeb's "crimes" have been glossed over by right-wing politicians, turning him into the 'last Muslim villain' whose memory must be erased.
Sectarian clashes erupted in the central city of Nagpur last month, with hardline Hindu nationalists calling for the demolition of his tomb, which is about 400 kilometers away.
Apparently fueled by a recent Bollywood film's portrayal of Aurangzeb's violent conquests against a revered Hindu king, the violence led to dozens of injuries and arrests, prompting Nagpur authorities to impose a curfew.
As tensions between the two communities continue to rise, many right-wing Hindus are using Aurangzeb's name to highlight historical injustices against the country's majority faith. And they are instilling fear among India's 200 million Muslims.
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