HC to Shivaji author: tell us it isn’t research and close the chapter

A Bombay High Court division bench today suggested that the author of the book, Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India, submit a clarification stating that his work was not based on historical research and that he had no doubts on the parentage of the warrior king.

Justice S Radhakrishnan and Justice R S Mohite said the case, which was being needlessly prolonged, ought to be brought to a close to end the controversy. Laine’s publisher, the Oxford University Press (OUP), had filed a petition in the High Court seeking the quashing of an FIR against OUP’s managing director Manzar Khan under 153 A of IPC. The FIR was filed by the Pune police following the attack on the Bhandarkar Research Institute, which had allowed the author to use its facilities for research work.

The judges have asked the counsel for Laine’s publisher if the author could furnish a clarification about his work. Counsel Mahesh Jethmalani replied that he would speak to the author and get back to the court on the issue tomorrow.

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The bench also asked the defence counsel whether the paragraph on Shivaji’s parentage, which has been found offensive, could be deleted from future editions of the book and copies of the book that have already been sold.

The judges criticised the functions honouring the Sambhaji Brigade activists who had attacked the Bhandarkar Institute for providing help to the writer. Such functions which were being held in the rural parts of the state were disturbing, they said.