Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal’s remarks ‘equating’ Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with Tipu Sultan have sparked a political row in Maharashtra.
Within the aftermath of the outrage, BJP and Congress employees clashed in Pune, with stone pelting additionally reported. The incident, which came about close to the Congress Bhawan, the occasion’s headquarters in Pune, led to 9 individuals sustaining accidents.
Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma instructed PTI information company {that a} protest was held close to the Congress Bhavan, throughout which there was sloganeering from employees of BJP and Congress. “Employees of each events climbed onto partitions and there was stone pelting from either side. Circumstances are being registered towards employees of either side,” Sharma stated.
Three Congress employees, two BJP employees, two police personnel and two journalists sustained minor accidents in the course of the incident, Sharma stated.
Following this, Pune metropolis Congress chief Arvind Shinde stated the occasion had submitted a written grievance towards BJP functionaries, PTI reported. Shinde urged for a case to be registered towards Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, BJP Metropolis president Dheeraj Ghate, Dushyant Mohol and different employees.
Sapkal’s remarks, an FIR and a clarification
Sapkal in his remarks, which spurred a row, allegedly drew similarities between seventeenth century Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan of the 18th century. The Maharashtra Congress chief made the remarks on Saturday whereas chatting with reporters on the controversy over a portrait of Tipu Sultan displayed within the workplace of Malegaon municipal company’s deputy mayor Shan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed, who’s Muslim.
The show of the portrait of the Mysore ruler, who is understood to have fought British colonialists, was opposed by Shiv Sena and different teams. Sapkal, whereas talking in Marathi, allegedly in contrast the bravery and beliefs of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with these of Tipu Sultan, stating that the latter had fought towards the British and ought to be thought to be a brave warrior and a “son of the soil”.
Following this, an FIR was registered towards Sapkal on a grievance filed by BJP Pune metropolis unit president Dhiraj Ghate. The complainant alleged that the remarks damage the emotions of followers who revere Shivaji Maharaj as a deity-like determine, calling them provocative in nature and having the potential to disturb social concord.
Whereas police initiated a probe into the video and circumstances underneath which the statements had been made, Sapkal issued a clarification.
“I wish to clearly state that the founding father of Hindavi Swarajya, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is our pleasure, honour, and glory. It was via his valour that Hindutva Swarajya was established,” ANI cited Sapkal as saying. The Congress chief stated that “taking inspiration from that, Tipu Sultan carried ahead the battle for self-rule.” He additional alleged that his remarks had been being “politicised by the BJP.”
