Devendra Fadnavis Defends Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Against Claims of Looting Surat
Mumbai, 7th September 2024: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday defended Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj against claims that he was a looter for his attacks on Surat. Fadnavis highlighted that Shivaji Maharaj had given advance notice before the attacks, requested reimbursement for the costs of a three-year conflict, and even provided a receipt for the amount recovered. He described these actions as an attempt to restore Swaraj’s resources and aligned with the ethical standards of that era.
Fadnavis also criticized the Congress, accusing them of having previously downplayed the 1857 First War of Independence by calling it a Sepoy Mutiny.
Addressing the issue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue collapse, he acknowledged the sensitivity of the matter and urged caution in public statements. He called the incident disgraceful and revealed that the Navy had been approached to permit the construction of a grand replacement statue by the state government.
Regarding the Ladki Bahin scheme, Fadnavis shared that former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan had discussed the initiative with them, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is interested in implementing a similar program in Maharashtra.
Fadnavis confirmed that the Mahayuti alliance will contest the elections under Shinde’s leadership. Decisions about the post-election leadership of the Mahayuti will be made by the BJP parliamentary board in consultation with Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who lead their respective parties.
He also took a jab at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, noting that Congress has made it clear that Thackeray is not their choice for Chief Ministerial candidate. “Despite Thackeray’s visit to Delhi, Sonia Gandhi did not permit any public photos of their meeting. Sharad Pawar announced there would be no chief ministerial candidate, and Nana Patole echoed this. It is evident that Pawar does not consider Thackeray for the position,” Fadnavis stated.
