There Should Be No Politics on Shivaji Maharaj: Descendant

Pune, Jan 16 (PTI) Rajya Sabha member Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati on Thursday said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is an important leader and he should make statements "responsibly".

He said asking descendants to prove they are descendants is purely an act of "foolishness".

Raut courted controversy when on Wednesday he said former MP and BJP leader Udayanraje Bhosale should give proof that he is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"He (Raut) is such a big personality. He is one of the important leaders of his party...he should make statements responsibly.

"I do not want to speak on that person. If you are saying something, there has to be a base (to it) and asking descendants to prove that they are the descendants is pure foolishness," said Chhatrapati, also a descendant of the 17th century Maratha warrior king.

He was speaking on the occasion of the 340th anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj's 'Rajyabhisehk' day at Tulapur-Wadhu near Pune.

Asked about the controversial book 'Aaj Ke Shivaji - Narendra Modi', written by BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal, he said it is wrong to do politics in the name of the Maratha warrior king.

He said any comparison of Chhatrapati Shivaji with Modi can not be tolerated.

Asked about NCP chief Sharad Pawar's remarks that Sant Ramdas Swami was not Shivaji Maharaj's guru, he said, "Pawar saheb is speaking now. I have been saying the same thing for the last 15 years. Jijau was his guru.

"Sant Tukaram was his guru and there is no third guru and whatever Pawar saheb said we are happy about it."

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