A spoof video made from the scenes of latest Bollywood blockbuster ‘Tanhaji — The Unsung Warrior’, in which the faces of Chhatrapati Shivaji and his trusted commander Tanaji Malusare have been morphed with those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah went viral in the social media on Tuesday.
Fresh from the controversy over a Hindi book ‘Aaj ke Shivaji: Narendra Mod’, likening the current Prime Minister to Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the latest video — in which Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been projected as Udaybhan Singh Rathore — has turned the spotlight on the BJP once again, amid the ongoing campaigning the Delhi Assembly polls.
The spoof video, posted on the twitter handle named ‘political kida’ has drawn comparisons between the battle of Sinhagad Fort with the upcoming Delhi elections and the website has said: “Jo Dilli Jeet Gaya, Samjho Dil Jeet Gaya”. Interestingly, the twitter page containing the spoof video went missing later in the evening.
Reacting to the spoof video, BJP’s Rajya Sabha member and the 13th direct descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji and great grandson of Chhatrapati Shahu of Kolhapur Sambhaji Chhatrapati tweeted: “After the book (likening Shivaji to Modi), we now have video that indecent, intolerable and condemnable. The parties concerned should expressed its stand over the video. The Centre should order an inquiry into the video and initiate action against those behind it”
“For us Shiv bakths Shivaji Maharaj is everything. The video has hurt the Shiva bakths. It is the responsibility of the Government to take cognisance of the sentiments of the Shiv bakths and take steps to ensure against recurrence of such things in future. My request to all political parties not to misuse the image of great Maratha warrior for their cheap politics,” Sambhaji Chhatrapati tweeted.
Responding to the objectionable video, Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “ I have sent the video to controversial Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide and various BJP leaders. I am waiting for their response.”
Alluding to the recent demand by Sambaji Bhide that action be taken against him for his disparaging remarks against the descendents of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Raut said: “I want to see the reaction of those who have called for a bandh at Satara and Sangli against the Shiv Sena. Not even a single person whom I have sent the video to has replied so far”.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra BJP has disassociated itself from the spoof video put out on the twitter handle of “political kida’. “The BJP{ has nothing to do with this video. The BJP is not using the video in its campaign for the Delh9i Assembly polls. We condemn this video. It is wrong to elicit the BJP’s reaction on this video. Chhatrapati Shivaji cannot be compared with anyone,” Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said.
“There is no restriction on any one making anything of video, putting it on social media and letting it go viral. There is a clear cut attempt to defame the BJP by making such a controversial video,” Patil said.
Hitting out indirectly at Raut, Patil said: “The people who are demanding evidence from the descendents of Chhatrapati Shivaji have no mortal right left to talk about the Maratha warrior. The BJP’s stand is that there was only unique king (Shivaji) and we do not get to see such a king against. It was because of this king that Hindu Swaraj was established. No one can be compared chhatrapati shivaji”.
Last week, under severe flak from various political quarters, an embarrassed BJP had distanced itself from a controversial book “Aaj ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi”, penned by the party’s Jai Bhagwan Goyal, likening the current Prime Minister with Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
BJP’s National Media co-head Sanjay Mayukh had said through a video statement: “Whatever that been written in the book is the author’s personal point of view. It is neither our party publication nor are we connected with it in any manner”
“The writer has clarified that it is his personal writing. He has also said that if the book has hurt anybody’s emotions, he is withdrawing the book. We would like to clarify again that it is not a party publication,” Mayukh had said.
The book “Aajke Shivaji: Narendra Modi” has been criticised by the leaders of all the non-BJP parties – especially the ruling constituents of Shiv Sena-led Maha Vilas Aghadi (MVA) in the state, ever since it was released at an even held at the BJP’s headquarters in New Delhi amid fanfare in New Delhi two days earlier.
