‘Maharashtra should kick out hypocritical Babas’: Bageshwar Baba’s remarks on Shivaji Maharaj sparks political backlash

Debunking Baba’s claim, MPCC chief Harshavardhan Sapkal said, “The people of Maharashtra should now kick out these hypocritical ‘Babas’ like Dhirendra Shastri — those who are nurtured by the RSS-BJP and come from the cow belt to Maharashtra only to defile our ‘Maharashtra Dharma’.”

Sapkal condemned the statement of the “charlatan” that Chhatrapati Shivaji was “exhausted from fighting wars, and in his weariness, he took off his crown and placed it at the feet of Ramdas Swami, requesting him to look after the administration of the kingdom”.

Sapkal said RSS-BJP’s Manuvadi ideology has always been pricked by the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji and the ‘Hindavi Swarajya’ he established.

”Today, these hypocrites are using such people to insult our Chhatrapati Shivaji, the source of inspiration for this Marathi land. He (Baba) is merely a talking parrot. When he made this statement, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari were present on the stage. Yet, they did not stop this perverted Baba. This clearly shows the lowly thoughts the members of the BJP and Sangh Parivar harbour toward our Maharaj,” said Sapkal while daring the chief minister to book the fraudster, Dhirendra Shastri, and arrest him.

MLA Rohit Pawar, who belongs to Sharad Pawar-led NCP, said the statement by the “so-called ‘Bageshwar’ fraud” is extremely infuriating. “Previously, this fraudster and his associates have spewed venom regarding Jagadguru Sant Tukaram and Sant Dnyaneshwar. It is even more painful that the rulers (political leaders) were present on that stage while Chhatrapati Shivaji was being insulted.  Bageshwar must be banned from entering Maharashtra; otherwise, it will prove costly for both Bageshwar and the government.”

Earlier, Sanjay Gaikwad courted controversy after Kolhapur-based publisher Prashant Ambi alleged that the Shiv Sena MLA called him over the phone, objecting to the title of the book ‘Shivaji Kon Hota?’ written by CPI leader and rationalist Govind Pansare and using abusive language.

Ambi alleged that the MLA threatened to “cut his tongue” and warned of physical assault, even invoking Pansare in a remark that has drawn sharp reactions.