Political Backlash Follows Bageshwar Baba's Controversial Remarks on Shivaji Maharaj
‘Maharashtra should kick out hypocritical Babas’: Bageshwar Baba’s remarks on Shivaji Maharaj sparks political backlash
The Indian Express
Image: The Indian Express
Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, known as Bageshwar Baba, sparked outrage in Maharashtra after claiming that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was exhausted from fighting wars and wished to relinquish his crown. Political leaders condemned his statements, calling for his removal from the state and criticizing the presence of high-profile officials during his remarks.
- 01Bageshwar Baba claimed Shivaji Maharaj wanted to stop fighting wars.
- 02Political leaders in Maharashtra condemned Baba's remarks as disrespectful.
- 03Calls for Baba to be banned from Maharashtra are gaining traction.
- 04The controversy follows threats made by Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad against a book publisher.
- 05High-profile officials were present during Baba's controversial speech.
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Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, ignited a political storm in Maharashtra with his remarks at a foundation stone-laying ceremony in Nagpur, where he claimed that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was tired of fighting and wished to relinquish his crown. This statement was met with immediate backlash from political leaders, including Harshavardhan Sapkal, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief, who called for Baba's expulsion from Maharashtra, labeling him as a hypocrite nurtured by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sapkal criticized the presence of prominent figures such as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during Baba's speech, suggesting their silence indicated a disrespectful attitude toward Shivaji Maharaj's legacy. MLA Rohit Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also expressed outrage, stating that Baba's previous comments about revered saints added to the offense. The controversy follows an earlier incident involving Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, who allegedly threatened a book publisher over a title related to Shivaji Maharaj, further intensifying the political tensions surrounding the issue.
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The controversy surrounding Bageshwar Baba's remarks could lead to increased political tensions in Maharashtra, affecting public sentiment and the relationship between political parties and their constituents.
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