Sena, Chhatrapati kin irked by 'Tanhaji' trailer meme

By IANS | Published: January 21, 2020 03:44 PM2020-01-21T15:44:26+5:302020-01-21T15:55:11+5:30

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday kicked off a fresh controversy by taking objections to a trailer of "Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior" that was being allegedly misused for politics in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

Sena, Chhatrapati kin irked by 'Tanhaji' trailer meme | Sena, Chhatrapati kin irked by 'Tanhaji' trailer meme

Sena, Chhatrapati kin irked by 'Tanhaji' trailer meme

The tongue-in-cheek trailer meme, posted by a website, depicts Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the trusted military Commander Tanaji Malusare, while Delhi Aam Aadmi Party Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is lampooned as Udaybhan Singh Rathore.

The spoof on the trailer has drawn comparisons to the battle of Sinhagad Fort with the upcoming Delhi elections and the website has said: "Jo Dilli Jeet Gaya, Samjho Dil Jeet Gaya".

Adding his voice to Sena's protest, Rajya Sabha MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati the 13th direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj said at first it was a book and now a film trailer that has hurt the sentiments of Shivbhakts.

"The image of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj cannot be sullied for low politics. This is not befitting, intolerable, and condemnable... The central government must investigate this immediately and take proper action against those responsible," urged Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati.

He said it was the government's responsibility to be vigilant and ensure that the sentiments of Shivbhakts are safeguarded, and called upon all political parties to refrain from such actions.

Tanaji, guided by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had fought the historic battle for Sinhagad Fort in Pune on February 4, 1670, which was under the control of a Rajput commander, Udaybhan Singh Rathore, guided by Maharaja Jai Singh I, an ally of the Mughals.

Though he fought like a lion, Tanaji was killed in the epic Sinhagad battle, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had famously said on his sacrifice: "Gad aala, Pan Sinh gela" (The Fort is won, but the Lion has gone").

"Misusing the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not proper and will not be tolerated," warned Raut of the trailer on Tuesday.

The Maharashtra BJP also dissociated itself from the trailer and said it had nothing to do with it, nor was it posted on the party site nor used in political campaign.

The trailer has been uploaded by a website "Political Kida", reportedly considered close to the ruling BJP.

The website has uploaded it on its social media sites and it has gone viral, eliciting strong reactions from various quarters.

( With inputs from IANS )

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