Pune: Virtually gearing into a 'Jai Bhavani' mode against political parties and accusing them of using the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to play politics, BJP MP Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale announced to hold a sit-in agitation at Raigad on December 3 and hinted at quitting his Rajya Sabha seat, here on Monday.
Bhosale - the 13th direct descendent of the legendary Maratha warrior king - said that after December 3, he would also meet the President, Prime Minister and other Central leaders, as well as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
He would demand action against Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi for their recent utterances pertaining to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which have created a political furore for the past one week.
Becoming emotional at one point, Bhosale demanded most stringent action like invoking sedition laws against those who insult historical leaders and also those who support such elements, after holding a meeting of several organisations under the banner of Shiv Premi.
"I am angry... How can I not get agitated if someone refers to the Chhatrapati in an offensive manner and deliberately spoil his name for politics. It would have been better if I had died before seeing such things," said Bhosale.
Going into a 'Jai Bhavani' mode (the battle-cry of his illustrious ancestor), the BJP MP said if he kept mum now when such an image was sought to be created about a 'Yugpurush' like the Chhatrapati, the future generations would form a wrong impression about him.
He also castigated the ruling alliance in the state for not taking action against those who dare to insult the Chhatrapati, plus rued distortions on the Chhatrapati through other media like books or films in recent times, wondering why the parties don't raise their voice.
"When you can't take action against such people, then you have no right to even utter the Chhatrapati's name. Why are airports or railway stations named after him, why erect his statues or memorials, why do you pay respects on his anniversaries and other events," asked Bhosale.
To a pointed query, Bhosale gave indications that he may consider quitting his parliamentary seat when the time comes, and without naming the BJP directly, also warned that those who tolerate the denigration of the Chhatrapati "shall be taught a 'lesson' by the people in the next elections".
Koshyari, 80, has been under fire for his statement that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was "an icon of the old era" and persons like the late B.R. Ambedkar or Union Minister Nitin Gadkari are the modern-day icons.
The comments evoked strong reactions from all political parties - the ruling alliance of BJP-Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, the opposition Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena-UBT, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the direct descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, organisations like Maratha Brigade, Jijau Brigade etc., who demanded his ouster from the state.
Bhosale had earlier attacked the Governor as a "third class" person who deserved to be shunted out of the state or to an old-age home for his statements, as protests continued in the state for a week.
During his three-year tenure here, the Governor managed to raise the hackles of then Maha Vikas Aghadi government on several occasions, besides statements on Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, the contributions of the Marwari-Gujarati communities to the development of the state, and now on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
On Monday, speculation was rife in certain circles that the Governor may offer to quit, but official sources dismissed it as rumour.
© 2024 IANS. All rights reserved.