In the name of the ancestor, stop!

Chhatrapati Udyanraje Bhonsle, the 13th direct descendant of the erstwhile ruler, wants politicians to stop using his ancestor’s name as an election football. Speaking to The Indian Express from Nasik, Bhonsle hit out at Maharashtra’s leaders for politicising the controversy generated by James Laine’s book Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India.

Laine may be ready to apologise for references in his book to Shivaji’s parentage but Bhonsle knows how emotive the issue is. Another book by noted author Vijaya Kulkarni has come under the spotlight. The irony: She had merely translated a book by historian Sunendra Sen, who had dismissed similar rumours.

‘‘If they do not stop screaming and shouting there will be caste riots,’’ said Bhonsle. ‘‘My ancestor is held in high esteem by people other than the politicians. Therefore, by provoking people through statements and counter statements they are playing with fire. Nothing can save this state if the fire ignites and becomes a caste war,’’ he cautioned.

It may be recalled that after Sambhaji Brigade, a lesser known organisation of Marathas vandalised the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune on January 6 this year, black boards with only the numeric figure ‘1948’ were displayed in some parts of Pune. This has led to widespread speculation that brahmins in the State could face the wrath of the other communities due to this issue. In 1948 after Gandhiji was shot dead by Nathuram Godse, houses of brahmins were burnt in Maharashtra as Godse was a brahmin—therefore the figure 1948.

Even before that controversy died down, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray asked for action against writer Viijaya Kulkarni for her translation of Sen’s book. In reply, Maharashtra’s minister for Home R R Patil has not helped matters by categorically stating that those who granted permission and helped in the publication of this second controversial book are all brahmins. Said Bhonsle: ‘‘My family cannot forgive the derogatory references to my ancestor but this is not the way to handle it. Instead of uniting for a common cause like expunging the derogatory passages, these self styled ideologists are inciting violence in society. When Shivaji Maharaj set out to win Hindavi Swaraj he took along all the castes and communities. So, how come all these followers of his ideology forget this important aspect?’’

Bhonsle himself has chosen to remain politically independent. ‘‘When we, the direct descendants of Shivaji, have never ever used his name for any gains, why should these politicians do so. They talk about the 21st century and globalisation and then go right ahead to divide society on caste lines.’’