Senior BJP chief and former Union minister Narayan Rane on Monday waded into the continued controversy surrounding the Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stating that the revered warrior had certainly looted Surat. Rane’s remarks had been made throughout a media interplay on the BJP headquarters in Mumbai, responding to a query about historic accounts.
“I’m not a historian,” Rane stated, “However from no matter I’ve learn, heard, and recognized from historian Babasaheb Purandare, ‘Shivaji Maharaj ni Surat la loot keli’ (Shivaji Maharaj had looted Surat)”, as quoted by Indian Categorical
Rane’s assertion got here only a day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticised Congress for spreading what he termed as “false propaganda” towards Shivaji. Fadnavis had asserted, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by no means looted Surat,” additional alleging that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had misrepresented Shivaji Maharaj in his guide Discovery of India, portraying him as a looter. Fadnavis accused the post-Independence Congress of intentionally misinforming the general public by educating that Shivaji looted Surat, whereas the truth was that he plundered the treasury from these he believed had been rightful targets for the reason for ‘swarajya’ and the nation’s welfare.
Historic information do point out that Shivaji Maharaj attacked and looted Surat twice, in 1664 and 1670, when it was an economically affluent metropolis and a key port for the Mughal Empire, Indian Categorical’ report acknowledged.
The controversy has gained additional traction following the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, which has led to a political blame recreation between the ruling occasion and the opposition. Rane criticised the opposition, notably concentrating on Nationalist Congress Occasion (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, for not interesting for peace, accusing them of politicising the statue collapse forward of elections.
“The opposition is politicising the Shivaji statue collapse protecting elections in thoughts, which is unlucky. A senior chief of Sharad Pawar’s stature ought to have come out and appealed for peace. However it’s evident that the opposition is making an attempt to make use of the incident to vitiate the environment,” Rane acknowledged.
Rane additionally took severe exception to remarks made by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who had requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to “get overseas.” Rane questioned Thackeray’s authority, saying, “What proper does he should make such a comment? Is he the President of India or the Prime Minister? Had I been the CM, I might have ensured stern motion towards Thackeray.”
The collapse of the Shivaji statue has additionally sparked tensions between Shiv Sena (UBT) and Rane’s supporters in Malvan, as per the report. Nevertheless, Rane downplayed the skirmishes, asserting that there was no violence or clashes, and that the police ought to have managed the scenario higher by permitting political events to go to the location one after one other.
ALSO READ | ‘We’ll Enter Your Mosques…’: Nitesh Rane Booked For Threatening Speech, Congress Calls for Safety Withdrawal
Narayan Rane On Nitesh Rane’s Controversial Speech
On Monday, Narayan Rane additionally responded to row round his son Nitesh Rane’s threatening speech the place he’s purportedly heard saying, “if anybody says something towards Ramgiri Maharaj, We are going to enter your mosques and hit you one after the other. Maintain this in thoughts”.
Narayan Rane acknowledged that he reprimanded his son and requested him to not drag any faith into the matter. “There isn’t any want to tug any faith however solely those that are responsible of it. Not all Muslims are responsible of this, so do not drag the whole group. I’ve reprimanded him,” Narayan Rane stated, as quoted by information company PTI.
Nitesh Rane is dealing with two separate FIRs below the jurisdictions of Srirampur and Topkhana police stations within the Ahmednagar district over his provocative speech.