Ajit Pawar asks party youth wing chief to quit over assault on Maratha activists
On Saturday morning, Chhava once again called for a shutdown in Latur. Protests and road blockades by Chhava supporters were also seen in Dharashiv, Jalna, Nanded, and Beed.HOW DID THE CONTROVERSY START?The issue began when NCP leader and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate was allegedly caught playing rummy during the Assembly session. A video of this was tweeted by Rohit Pawar, a leader from Sharad Pawar's faction of the NCP. This led to growing demands for Kokate's resignation.To express their opposition and push for Kokate's resignation, Rajendra Patil and other members of Chhava went to meet Sunil Tatkare in Latur.During the meeting, they threw playing cards in front of him as a symbolic protest. This act was perceived as an insult by NCP leaders present, who then allegedly assaulted Patil and his supporters. The incident was caught on camera, clearly showing Suraj Chavan physically assaulting Patil.WHY CHHAVA'S AGGRESSION MATTERSFounded in 1990, Chhava, a Maratha youth organisation, holds considerable sway in the community. Its strong hold among members of the Maratha and Bahujan communities is attributed to the group's aggressive stance on various issues. The group has also been involved in violent protests related to farmers and the Maratha community.Given Chhava's influence in the Maratha community across the state, the attack on its leaders could damage the NDA alliance's prospects in the upcoming elections.WHAT NOW FOR MANIKRAO KOKATE?Since becoming Agriculture Minister, Manikrao Kokate has courted controversy multiple times. Initially, he expressed dissatisfaction with his ministry, comparing it to being appointed head of a deserted village. Later, he made headlines for saying that farmers wait for loan waivers so they can spend the money on lavish weddings and festivals.He was also convicted by a court of illegally acquiring a government house in Nashik, although a stay was later granted on the sentence. While Kokate has not yet resigned, the controversy surrounding him has led to Suraj Chavan losing his post.- Ends
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Khalid Ka Shivaji' to be removed from Cannes festival listings; ‘won't allow tampering with history,' says Ashish Shelar
A probe is underway to determine how the film Khalid Ka Shivaji, which allegedly distorts history and hurts public sentiment, was submitted to the Cannes Film Festival, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said on Thursday, adding that the movie will be removed from the Cannes listings through legal and administrative action. Right-wing groups have alleged that the film wrongly portrays the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The state government has requested the Centre to revoke the film's censor certificate and halt its further screenings. Acting on this, central agencies have already issued urgent notices to the film's producers and director. Shelar assured that the state government stands firmly with Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji's devotees and historians and will not allow any distortion or misrepresentation of history or attack on public sentiments. 'Tampering with history will not be tolerated,' he said. The decision comes days after right-wing organisations, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and others raised objections against the film. On Tuesday, a protest against the film was held during the Maharashtra State Marathi Film Awards ceremony. Khalid Ka Shivaji, directed by Raj Pritam More, is about a Muslim boy who learns about Shivaji through life experiences. More won the National Film Award in 2019 for his Marathi film Khissa under the 'Best Debut Non-Feature Film of a Director' category. At the heart of the dispute surrounding the film is the long-standing debate in Maharashtra on whether Shivaji was primarily a Hindu warrior-king or a secular, inclusive ruler who stood against oppression regardless of religion.
The Print
4 hours ago
- The Print
‘What about Rajput valour?' Battle of identity in Rajasthan BJP over NCERT's ‘glorification' of Marathas
More controversially, a map in the book's third chapter, 'The Rise of the Marathas', shows the Maratha Empire spreading from Kolhapur to Cuttack in the East, and Kolhapur to Peshawar in the North, where it extends into Gwalior, Jaipur, and Delhi. Not only that, the map shows Jaisalmer, Mewar, and Bundi in Rajasthan, as well as many parts of Punjab, as land ruled by the Maratha dynasty. It is the map that triggered the Rajasthan leaders and their loud criticism. All descendants of erstwhile dynasties in Rajasthan, cutting across party lines, including BJP leader Vishvaraj Singh from Mewar, Congress leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh from Alwar, and Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati from Jaisalmer, have voiced their discontent over the glorification of the Marathas as well as the dominance attributed to them by the NCERT. The book, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, has but little information on the Rajputs. New Delhi: An identity clash between the Rajputs and the Marathas is now brewing within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Rajasthan, as Mahima Kumari, the BJP MP from Rajsamand, and her husband Vishvaraj Singh, the BJP MLA from Nathdwara and Maharana Pratap's descendant have called out the inclusion of Jaisalmer, Bundi, and Mewar in the Maratha Empire on a map in the revised NCERT social science book for Class 8 students. Mahima Kumari, who is married to Vishvaraj Singh, met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi Wednesday. Mahima Kumari later said in an X post that the two leaders 'had a detailed discussion on the serious issue related to the incorrect depiction of history by NCERT'. Pradhan, she added, assured her of seriously considering the matter, followed by necessary actions. The NCERT has now set up a panel of experts to review the textbook, particularly the map. Earlier, Mahima Kumari slammed the NCERT book for undermining the Rajput dynasty and giving prominence to the Maratha dynasty only. Condemning the NCERT for distorting facts, Kumari said in an X post, 'First misrepresented as under British, now as under Marathas—who is going to educate the educationists in NCERT?! Are they capable of presenting the factual history of India—seriously doubt it.' Her husband, Vishvaraj Singh, said the history of the Rajput dynasty was far larger than that of the Maratha dynasty, and the NCERT's distortion of a map undermined the valour and contributions of the dynasties in Rajasthan. Speaking to ThePrint, Vishvaraj Singh said, 'Rajasthan was never a part of the Maratha dynasty. They may have tried but had no success. Rajputana's history is much larger than that of the Marathas. The efforts to portray not only a larger Maratha kingdom but also the Marathas themselves as having more valour were intended to undermine the contributions of the dynasties to Rajasthan. The NCERT is making one blunder after another—first, they put the Rajasthan dynasty under the British Empire, and now, they have included us under the Marathas. There is a need to educate the NCERT educationists themselves.' The map, which has sparked the controversy, is provided as a reference to a line in the book—'The Maratha brought large parts of India under their control….' On the map, the saffron colour, which represents the Maratha Empire, extends into Rajasthan. However, the text on the map does not mention Rajasthan or any of its Rajput states. The next paragraph reads, 'In northward expansion, the Maratha briefly controlled the area of Lahore, Attock, and even Peshawar (in modern-day Pakistan).' Michel Danino, head of NCERT committee behind drafting of new social science textbooks, had earlier said that the map was based on previously published maps in the public domain, and developed with expert consultation. He had also conceded that while the Class 7 textbook includes a disclaimer about the approximate nature of historical borders, this caveat was mistakenly omitted from the Class 8 textbook—something he said should have been included to avoid misinterpretation. 'Where's the credibility of NCERT?' Jaisalmer dynasty descendant Chaitanya Raj Singh condemned the map in an X post, claiming that the map wrongly showed Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha Empire. He called the map 'historically misleading, factually baseless, and deeply objectionable'. Jaisalmer, founded in 1178 CE by Rawal Jaisal of the Bhati clan, had no documented 'Maratha control, taxation, or invasion' history, according to his post. Chaitanya Raj Singh said that the Mughals had failed to conquer Jaisalmer, which remained an independent princely state for centuries, before merging into the Indian Republic after Independence, yet went ignored. About the book, his post said, 'Such unverified and historically unsubstantiated information not only raises questions about the credibility of institutions like NCERT but also hurts our glorious history and public sentiments. This issue is not merely a textbook error but appears to be an attempt to tarnish the sacrifices, sovereignty, and valorous saga of our ancestors.' Before Chaitanya, Mahima, and Vishvaraj, Brigadier Bhupesh Singh of the erstwhile Bundi state also objected to the map, writing on X, 'Which is this imaginary empire that ruled Rajputana? We were never under the Marathas—do not hurt our pride with fabricated stories. Torturing and looting your people is not called an empire … Please stop this fakery, do not brainwash our children.' Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, the Congress politician and descendant of the erstwhile Alwar dynasty, also criticised the NCERT for presenting 'historically inaccurate and misleading facts' with regional and political agendas. 'Surprisingly, this map shows the entire Rajasthan under Maratha dominance, which never happened,' Bhanwar Jitendra Singh posted on X. 'Maratha history has always been in textbooks, but this map depicting the entire Rajasthan under Maratha control is additional in the new edition—July 2025 … It is a historical fact that in the 18th century, the princely states of Rajasthan—whether Marwar, Mewar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, Jaisalmer, Alwar, or others—were capable of maintaining their independence and autonomy.' In the 18th century, the two states renowned for their independent governance, military strength, and cultural identity were the Rajput princely states of Rajasthan and Bharatpur, where the Jat kings ruled, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh further said. He added that those rulers continuously struggled to maintain their autonomy against the Mughals, Marathas, and later the British. 'Historical evidence indicates limited Maratha influence in Rajasthan—raids only. The question of dominance or expansion does not even arise! Facts turn myths when history is distorted and presented on religious or regional grounds. This mistake by NCERT is an attempt to undermine the bravery, independence, and cultural contributions of the valiant rulers of Rajasthan,' his post read. Also Read: Muslim invaders, Rajputs, Bhils—Abanindranath Tagore's stories were written for Hindu unity The issue of 'Maratha dominance' A key concern among political leaders from Rajasthan's erstwhile royal families is how the NCERT book portrays the dominance and valour of the Maratha rulers, seemingly surpassing that of North Indian dynasties. A BJP leader from Rajasthan told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity, 'In the book, 22 pages are on the Maratha kingdom, but only two to three pages are on the North Indian dynasties. Neither Rajput architecture nor warfare strategies and historical battles found any place. Is this not a Marathi imposition?' 'Why is one state given so much importance while the North Indian states, which had been on the front lines against invaders, get so little space? Why should future generations not be told about the great North Indian kings?' the leader asked. Another Rajasthan BJP leader, who also did not want to be named, told ThePrint, 'In Rajasthan, since Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's demise, the current political scene has not been dominated by the Rajput community. The BJP is now looking to consolidate the Maratha constituency more than the Rajputs.' The leader added that during the Aurangzeb controversy, the Mahayuti alliance, including the BJP, celebrated Maratha valour and several films on Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj for the same reason—the political and regional consolidation of voters in Maharashtra. 'The BJP is much stronger in Rajasthan, so Rajput valour is not celebrated, like the Maratha's, as of now,' explained the leader. 'Reshaping India's political map', Chapter 2 in the NCERT book, attempts to tell Rajput history in two pages, with the header, 'Surge of the Rajputs'. 'Rana Sanga (early 16th century) unified several Rajput clans, won many battles against sultans, ultimately meeting defeat against Babur at the Battle of Khanwa,' the section reads. Playing up the battles between Rajputs and the Mughals, it adds, 'Mewar's ruler Maharana Pratap refused to accept Mughal suzerainty and became the face of Rajput resistance … A confrontation took place at the Haldighati pass in the Aravallis in 1576, and although the Mughal army had the upper hand, Maharana Pratap escaped and pursued, for years, guerrilla warfare against the Mughals….' 'While some Rajput states eventually allied with the Mughals—through diplomacy and marriage alliances—some, especially Mewar, did not accept Mughal dominance. During Aurangzeb's reign, several Rajput nobles rebelled, including Durga Das Rathore of Marwar, who fought to protect the independence of Jodhpur. Mughal authority thus remained limited in Rajasthan,' it further reads. On the other hand, a 22-page-long chapter, 'The Rise of the Marathas', is about only the Maratha rulers. The controversial map is also in this chapter on page 71. Sections like 'Who are the Marathas?', 'Foundations of Maratha power and the rise of Shivaji' with details of Shivaji's surgical strike, 'The Marathas after Shivaji', and 'Maratha administration' provide a wide overview. The chapter also has information on the Maratha military administration, maritime supremacy, judicial system, as well as the contributions of Maratha women, such as Tarabai and Ahilyabai Holkar. Many historians have written about the Marathas attacking Rajput states, even taxing a few of them, but there were no takeovers. Historian J.N. Sarkar wrote that during the fight over the inheritance of Rajasthan's Bundi dynasty in 1724, Marathas saw an opportunity and entered Rajasthan, soon collecting taxes from Kota, Dungarpur, Jodhpur, and Amer. However, they never completely controlled those cities. Considered an authoritative book on the Marathas and their history, 'The Marathas', written by Stewart Gordon, reads, 'Bajirao, as early as 1728, led a tribute-collecting expedition North, through western Malwa and into Rajasthan. After Bajirao's death, Maratha military contingents invaded Rajasthan almost every year. The strategy of Maratha involvement ran a similar course. During the succession fight after the death of Jai Singh of the Jaipur dynasty, the Peshwas mediated and invaded Jaipur and demanded huge tributes.' 'We can trace the increasing claims of Shinde, Holkar and Peshwa in Rajasthan. They sent their army into Rajasthan to collect the arrears of the large promised tribute. A smaller amount was collected at Kotah, Bundi, Jaipur, and Udaipur, but nothing like an administration was in place. As soon as the main forces of the Maratha Army left, the Maratha representatives were thrown out, and no tributes were paid.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Muslim invaders, Rajputs, Bhils—Abanindranath Tagore's stories were written for Hindu unity
New Indian Express
6 hours ago
- New Indian Express
NCERT forms expert panel to review Class 8 textbook map after Jaisalmer–Maratha row
NEW DELHI: The huge controversy set off by the Class 8 social science textbook of NCERT (National Council for Educational Research and Training) wherein a map depicted had included Jaisalmer as part of the Maratha empire is set to be addressed by a committee constituted to examine the issue. The team has been tasked with submitting a report on the issue at the earliest, after examining all the evidence available. The issue blew up a couple of days ago after a member of the erstwhile royal family in Jaisalmer, Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati, took to social media and billed the bringing in of Jaisalmer under the Marathi fold as 'historically misleading, factually baseless and deeply objectionable.' He had appealed to the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to rectify it immediately. His comments generated enormous support online. In an official release on Thursday, the Council said, 'At present, NCERT has received feedback about the educational content in a few textbooks. It is a well-established practice at NCERT that whenever substantial feedback or suggestions are received regarding the content or pedagogy of a textbook in a particular subject, a committee is constituted. ' This committee comprises high-level domain experts from reputed institutions and faculty members from the relevant subject area, with the convenorship of the Head of the Curriculum Department. 'The committee will carefully deliberate on the matter, make evidence-based decisions regarding the content or pedagogy, and recommend appropriate actions accordingly at the earliest,' it added. The team will examine the feedback in light of the available evidence and submit its report at the earliest possible. The release further added that the changes introduced in textbooks were being done by the NCERT as a follow-up to the National Education Policy 2020.
