‘Who’s to blame for women feeling unsafe?’

Mohan Bhagwat, chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) questioned the country's deteriorating social and cultural fabric, asking who was to be blamed for women not being able to walk on the streets alone and there was need to hold protests against corruption.

"Shivaji Maharaj is the centre of inspiration for all those who want to fight against injustice and exploitation prevalent in the world. Shivaji is a guide book in himself who never discriminated among people based on their religious beliefs," Bhagwat said.

He was addressing a gathering at Raigad fort, during a programme of paying tribute to 17th century Maratha King on his death anniversary according to the Shalivahan calendar. "Until the Raigad fort stands, there is a possibility of Shivaji taking rebirth. There is a need to have Shivaji in every household and he should be in my house. We should start from ourselves," Bhagwat said, apparently referring to a Marathi saying

that Shivaji should be born in someone else's family.

"There is no guarantee that our mothers and sisters can walk on the streets safely all the time, why has this happened? When the fort was repaired, workers found a pot of gold but no one stole a single coin (such was the honesty in those times). And in such a country like ours, a time came when there was a protest against corruption, who is to be blamed?" he questioned.

Meanwhile, eyebrows were raised after the invitation cards sent to invitees mentioned the name of Aditi Tatkare, the daughter of Sunil Tatkare, state president of Nationalist Congress Party as the organiser of the event.

Later, Tatkare clarified name of his daughter was mentioned as per protocol, as she is the chairperson of Raigad Zilla Parishad. Both Sunil and Aditi Tatkare skipped the event.