Shivaji Maharaj's 'wagh nakh': BJP's youth wing protests over Aaditya Thackeray's remarks

Aaditya Thackeray. File Pic

Shivaji Maharaj's 'wagh nakh': Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) youth wing on Sunday staged a protest in Maharashtra's Latur city against the remarks of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray about the 'wagh nakh', the iconic tiger claw-shaped weapon of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, reported the PTI.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Aaditya Thackeray had asked if the 'wagh nakh' being brought to Maharashtra from a museum in the United Kingdom would stay in Maharashtra permanently or was it on loan and whether it belonged to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or was it from that era, the news agency reported on Sunday.

According to the PTI, the protesters, who assembled at Gandhi Chowk in the Latur city of Maharashtra, accused Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray of hurting the sentiments of the followers of Shivaji Maharaj.

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The wagh nakh was used by Shivaji Maharaj to kill Bijapur general Afzal Khan in 1659.

Maharashtra culture minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and officials from his department are slated to go to the UK on October 3 to get the fabled weapon back.

Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday attributed his comments about the authenticity of wagh nakh to the information shared on the website of the London-based Victoria and Albert Museum, where the weapon is currently kept.

Earlier in the day, senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Thackeray's comments about the wagh nakh were childish and unworthy of a response.

Devendra Fadnavis also said that the (undivided) Shiv Sena had a history of asking such insulting questions and alleged that its leader Sanjay Raut had once questioned the lineage of the legendary warrior king.

Meanwhile, Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday sought the cancellation of Maharashtra industries minister Uday Samant's tour of the United Kingdom, Germany and Davos in Switzerland from October 3.

Writing on X, Thackeray accused the minister of taking a holiday on the money of taxpayers.

"Who are the participants in the so-called round table conference you will attend in London and Munich? When there's absolutely nothing from WEF currently in Davos, Switzerland, what 'inspection tour' will you be carrying out? Is it to do with traffic management there? Are you the guardian minister of Davos?" Thackeray asked, according to the PTI.

The Davos 'inspection visit' is a pure sham since the World Economic Forum meeting there is in January, Thackeray said, adding that Samant must cancel his "Swiss holiday on taxpayers' money," as per the PTI.

If so much money is available with the state government, then it should provide relief to farmers or speak about the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

(with PTI inputs)