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Ajit Pawar snaps at Sambhaji Bhide over comments on Shivaji

Bhide is one of the tall figures from Hindutva right wing and has an influence in western Maharashtra.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

A day after Hindutva activist Sambhaji Bhide made a statement claiming Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did not have people from all religions, and that professors as well as teachers are presenting a wrong history, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar snapped at him saying Maharaj’s Swarajya was inclusive of people from all religions and castes.

“He (Bhide) can speak whatever he wants. But the truth is that Hindavi Swarajya set up by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was inclusive of people of all religions and castes. He was an ideal king, he was the king of common citizens. The entire world has accepted his leadership as a king,” said Pawar. He was speaking to reporters at Kolhapur on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Shiv Pratishthan founder Bhide raised another controversy by commenting, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not inclusive of all religions (Sarvadharmiya). He and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj took forward the thought of Hindavi Swarajya which was the idea of Shahaji Raje (Shivaji’s father). Professors and teachers are giving a wrong version of history.” Bhide is one of the tall figures from Hindutva right wing and has an influence in western Maharashtra.

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This is the second time in a month when leaders from Hindutva right wing have made the statement denying Shivaji Maharaj’s inclusive nature. Both the times, Pawar has countered the view.

In the second week of March, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane had said that the fight of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for Swarajya was against Islam. “There were no Muslims in the army of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj…The fight was between Hindu and Muslim and in this battle our king did not let Hindu religion bow against Islam,” Rane had said.

“Political leaders, whether in the government or Opposition, must exercise caution while making statements, to ensure that communal discord is not created. Maharashtra is home to a large number of patriotic Muslims. There is evidence that during Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s reign, several Muslims played a key role, including that of overseeing his ammunition department,” Pawar had said. “I don’t understand the purpose behind such misleading statements. Shivaji Maharaj never discriminated against any one on the basis of caste or creed,” he added.

Udayanraje Bhosale meets Amit Shah

Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, on Thursday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighting the incidents of spreading fake history of Maharaj and requested that the state and Union government should step forward and publish a comprehensive history of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Chhatrapati Sambhaji and the Maratha empire. The BJP MP too mentioned that Maharaj established the Swarajya with the idea of equality among all religions.

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