Video showing PM as Shivaji, Shah as Tanhaji irks Sena

MUMBAI: In another controversy over Maratha warrior king Shivaji, the Shiv Sena is outraged over a morphed video which depicts Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Shivaji and Union home minister Amit Shah as military commander Tanhaji Malusare planning the Delhi Assembly election campaign.

The 100-second video, made out of a clip from the Ajay Devgnstarrer Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, was put up by a website, Political Kida, and also has Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal as one of the characters. The portal has taken down the video. The row comes after a book written by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary, which compared the 17th century king to Modi, created a controversy.

Reacting to the video, Sena leader Sanjay Raut said: “I saw it in the news that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and subhedar Tanhaji [their photos] are being used for political purposes. Faces of political leaders are morphed on Chhatrapati Shivaji and Tanhaji and are being circulated for an election campaign. Shivaji Maharaj is our idol and we will not tolerate his insult.”

In a veiled jibe at BJP lawmaker and Shivaji’s descendant Udayanraje Bhosale and Shiv

Pratishthan’s Sambhaji Bhide, Raut said he has forwarded the news articles and videos to the ones who called for a shutdown in Sangli and Satara last week. He said that he was waiting for their reaction.

Later, BJP MP and descendant of Shivaji Sambhaji Raje called the video “condemnable”. “After the book, there is a video. Indecent, unbearable and condemnable… The connected party must clarify their stand. The Central government must probe and take action against those responsible. For us, Shiv bhakts, [Shivaji] Maharaj is everything. The feelings of Shivaji’s followers are hurt. It is the responsibility of the state to prevent such incidents. It is a request to all political parties and party workers not to use Maharaj’s photographs for dirty politics,” he tweeted.

BJP state president Chandrakant Patil, in a statement, said, “The BJP has no connection with the video, it is not using it for its campaign in Delhi. The BJP condemns this video. Therefore to seek answers from the BJP is wrong. Nobody can be compared to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

In a veiled jibe at Sanjay Raut, Patil said, “Those who seek proof of lineage from descendants of Shivaji Maharaj do not have the moral right to speak on the issue.” BJP legislator Ram Kadam too denied the party’s link to the video.