As Opp grills govt over Shivaji Maharaj comments, Mahyuti looks bereft of reply

A day later, preacher Dhirendra Shastri’s comments during the Bharat Durga Shaktisthal and Dharma Sabha at Jamtha in Nagpur which was attended by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, created yet another controversy.

“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj grew very tired of fighting wars; he felt exhausted. One day, he went to Ramdas Swami. He took off his crown and placed it down, saying, ‘I do not want to fight wars anymore. You look after this crown; you handle this kingdom. We shall follow your orders. We can no longer fight; we are very tired and need rest. We wish to do nothing for a few days’,” said Shastri. “After Shivaji Maharaj spoke his mind, Ramdas Swami said, ‘Who are you to us?’ Shivaji Maharaj replied, ‘I am your disciple.’ ‘Then who am I?’ asked Swami. To that, Shivaji Maharaj said, ‘You are my Guru’. Ramdas Swami then asked, ‘Then what is the duty of a disciple?’ To this, the Maharaj replied that it is the disciple’s duty to obey whatever the Guru commands. Ramdas Swami then picked up the crown and placed it on the Maharaj’s head. ‘From today, the kingdom is mine. I shall run the state. You are to conduct the administration’,” Shastri said.

Initiated by Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal who demanded arrest of Gaikwad and apology from CM Devendra Fadnavis, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and union minister Nitin Gadkari for sharing stage with Shastri, he was echoed by leaders of Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT). It forced CM Fadnavis to issue clarifications on both the controversies.

“Fadnavis, Bhagwat and Gadkari were present at the Shastri’s program. None of them objected to the insult of Shivaji Maharaj. It seems that disrespecting Shivaji Maharaj is a national policy of BJP and RSS. All three of them should apologise for not speaking up,” said Sapkal. Last month, it was CM Fadnavis who had targeted Sapkal over his statement regarding Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan. Sapkal maintained that no-action against individuals like Shastri was sending the wrong message to society.

Sapkal’s aggressive stand has brought other party leaders and allies to launch an attack on the ruling BJP too. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar targeted the Home department led by CM Fadnavis for not registering an FIR against Gaikwad, despite the audio proof. “This government should remember that the more they protect the likes of Gaikwad, the more it will go down,” he said. Pawar also questioned the silence of ruling party leaders who were on stage when Shastri made his remarks. “This fraud should not be seen in Maharashtra henceforth,” said Pawar, issuing a warning to Shastri.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that the CM or RSS chief should have stopped Shastri. “At a time when these people come to Maharashtra and state unhistorical things, the CM or RSS chief should have stopped them and informed them the sentiments of people of Maharashtra,” said Raut.

In Nashik, when Fadnavis was asked about the comments, he distanced himself from it. In the statement of Shastri, he said: “In the historical records or books available to us, there are no such examples. Stories about great personalities often evolve differently over time. Like in the case of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, various folk versions exist in different regions”.

With regards to Sanjay Gaikwad’s remarks, Fadnavis said, “For one, things must be understood first. When we create an uproar without understanding them, it is not right. Everyone has respect for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in their hearts. Now, it has been 40 years since this book was printed. One must consider how appropriate it is to create an issue like this after 40 years. Specifically, I do not think using such foul language is right. I am certain that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will give him a proper understanding (reprimand) on this.”