"Rahul Gandhi's statement is very insulting": Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde on disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 19 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday slammed the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and accused him of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by using 'shraddhanjali' instead of 'adaranjali' in his tribute.
Shinde's statement comes on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country and Maharashtra. He was speaking to reporters in Mumbai while paying tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birthday.
Shinde expressed his outrage, stating that Gandhi's comments were an insult not only to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj but also to the millions of Shiv devotees and the people of Maharashtra. He also accused Gandhi of previously insulting Savarkar ji multiple times and demanded an apology for his mistakes.
"Today is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's birth anniversary. On this occasion, Shiv Jayanti is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country and Maharashtra... On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi's statement is very insulting... This is not only an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj but also to crores of Shiv devotees and Maharashtra... He (Rahul Gandhi) has also insulted Savarkar ji many times... He should apologize for this mistake," said Shinde.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, earlier in the day paid his tribute to Shivaji Maharaj.
"On the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I pay my respectful obeisance to him and offer my humble tribute," Rahul Gandhi said.

छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज जी की जयंती पर उन्हें सादर नमन और अपनी विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करता हूं।

अपने साहस और शौर्य से उन्होंने हमें निडरता और पूरे समर्पण के साथ आवाज़ उठाने की प्रेरणा दी।

उनका जीवन हम सभी के लिए सदैव प्रेरणास्रोत रहेगा। pic.twitter.com/1jOCYOkrC1

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 19, 2025

"With his courage and bravery, he inspired us to raise our voices with fearlessness and full dedication. His life will always be a source of inspiration for all of us," he said in a social media post.
Shivaji Maharaj was born on February 19, 1630, at Shivneri Fort in Pune. The renowned Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's birthday is commemorated during the festival of Jayanti. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a 17th-century Indian warrior king who founded the Maratha Empire. He is considered to be one of the greatest warriors in Indian history.
In 1674, he laid the foundation of the Maratha Empire in western India after fighting fiercely with the Mughals in 1670. In addition to creating a well-organized administrative system, Shivaji Maharaj established a broad civil code for the local populace. (ANI)