BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale sparks debate over who started women’s education in India
Udayanraje Bhosale, who is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, claimed that Pratapsinh Bhosale started a school for women inside his palace in Satara and that Mahatma Phule followed Pratapsinh Bhosale’s example and continued the work
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Udayanraje Bhosale has sparked a fresh controversy with his statements at an event to celebrate the birth anniversary of social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. At Phule Wada in Pune, Udayanraje Bhosale said that women’s education in India actually began under Satara ruler Pratapsinh Bhosale.
Udayanraje Bhosale, who is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, claimed that Pratapsinh Bhosale started a school for women inside his palace in Satara and that Mahatma Phule followed Pratapsinh Bhosale’s example and continued the work.
“Thorale (senior) Bhosale (Pratapsinh Bhosale) started a school for women inside his palace in Satara. From one perspective, Mahatma Phule followed in the footsteps of Pratapsinh Bhosale by advocating women’s education,” Udayanraje Bhosale said.
Udayanraje Bhosale also said that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, received his primary education at the same palace in Satara. “If you look carefully, Mahatma Phule followed the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, especially in bringing people together and promoting equality in society. He was a forward-thinking person and an economist who gave away all his wealth to help others,” Udayanraje Bhosale said.
Udayanraje Bhosale’s comments were met with sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal accused Udayanraje Bhosale of twisting history. Sapkal said that Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule had made historic and well-known contributions to the cause of women’s education. “This is an attempt to erase their legacy, which we cannot accept,” Sapkal said.
At a press conference at Congress Bhavan Pune, Sapkal said, “Mahatma Phule made a significant contribution in spreading the thoughts and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to the people. He planted the seeds of equality in India. After Savitribai Phule started the first girls’ school in Pune, people threw dung at her and she had to face severe opposition. Yet, no one came to her aid. The same people were respected by the society. Phule highlighted this toxic mentality born out of inequality. Now, through various means, the government is trying to rewrite history.”
Sapkal was referring to an already raging controversy over an upcoming Hindi biopic titled Phule based on the life and times of Mahatma Phule. Sapkal noted that the government had asked that some scenes from the biopic be deleted and that in so doing, the government was trying to rewrite history. It is true that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has asked for several edits and cuts to this biopic so as to remove some words. A voiceover and certain dialogues on caste discrimination too have been flagged.
OBC leader Mangesh Sasane criticised the statement made by Udayanraje Bhosale and said, “Already, Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje from Kolhapur has taken objection to the statue of the dog Waghya located at Raigad and now, another Raje from the royal Satara family is taking objection to the contribution of Mahatma Phule. I think both of them need to read history before claiming anything.”
Sasane said that if Pratapsinh Bhosale had indeed started the first girls’ school, how did all historians miss such an important fact.
Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule are widely known for opening the first school for girls in Pune in 1848. Their efforts broke social barriers of caste and gender and played a major role in reforming Indian society.
