BJP, Congress play 'Shivaji politics'

New Delhi: Politics over Hindutva icon and legendary Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivjai Maharaj picked up steam in the nation’s capital with BJP and Congress heavyweights paying tribute to India’s “greatest warrior” on his birth anniversary on Monday. President Ram Nath Kovind, vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi paid tribute to the great Maratha warrior. A grand event was also organised for the first time in New Delhi to mark the occasion. This was seen as an effort by the ruling BJP to send a signal to its core votebank and also to woo the powerful Marathas, who are now demanding reservations in Maharashtra, a state now under BJP-Shiv Sena rule.

Mr Kovind, who participated in the event organised by the descendant of the Maratha king and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, described Shivaji as a “system builder”. Mr Kovind said Shivaji Maharaj’s lessons on “social democracy” were relevant even today and that he is famous not just for his exemlpary valour and judiciousness but also for his generosity for all sections of society. Mr Chhatrapati demanded Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary be celebrated as a national festival.

Mr Modi tweeted “Jai Shivaji” (hail Shivaji), and also posted a video clip of his earlier speech on Shivaji Maharaj, where the PM had asked people to emulate the deeds of the Maratha warrior.

Saying the Hindu king was one of India’s greatest royal warriors, Mr Naidu hailed him for his valour, warfare strategies, administrative skills, progressive outlook and respect for women. “His legendary acts of bravery will continue to inspire every Indian,” the vice-president said as he paid his respects to Shivaji on Twitter.

Mr Gandhi paid his tribute through a message in Marathi on the social networking site. “My salutes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who realised the concept of people”s state, giving out a message of unity and harmony,” the Congress president said.

Amid the energetic beating of the traditional war drum, it was a sea of saffron at the IGNCA complex, with men and women sporting saffron turbans — the colour of Shivaji’s flag — as vocal cries of “Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhawani” vented the air in a telling eulogy at the event to mark the birth anniversary of the Maratha ruler. Earlier, a grand procession was taken out from the Maharashtra Sadan via Rajpath to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts lawns. Artists, including those performing the Maharashtrian martial art Mardani khel, performed all through the procession.

Calling him one of the country’s most inspiring figures, who had united people rising above caste and religion, Mr Kovind said: “Very few figures have contributed so much and so decisively to Indian history as Shivaji and that too within a short life span of just 50 years... His fight was not for riches but for self-rule (swaraj)... both Hindus and Muslims fought for him under the same flag.”

Top military officials, including Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat and Navy Chief Adm. Sunil Lanba, were present on the occasion. On the soldierly prowess of the Maratha warrior, the President said it should be studied how he had managed to conquer huge armies with “just a small band of men”.

On being presented with a large-sized portrait of the 17th century warrior, the President said he had always felt the need for such a portrait at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and now that need too has been met.