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Shivaji an idol, hero till sun and moon exist, says Fadnavis
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday sought to douse the controversy over governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s recent utterances related to Shivaji Maharaj
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday sought to douse the controversy over governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s recent utterances related to Shivaji Maharaj by saying that the Maratha warrior king will always be an idol for Maharashtra.
“Till the Sun and Moon are there, Maharashtra’s icon will always be Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and he is our hero. There is no doubt in anybody’s heart, even that of the governor, regarding Shivaji Maharaj as an ideal. Many meanings were derived from his statements. There cannot be any role model for Maharashtra and the country other than Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Even the governor is of the view that we hold,” Fadnavis told media persons on the side lines of his visit to the state Reserve Police Force (RPF) headquarters where he was the chief guest at the national police games championships valedictory function.
Earlier on Saturday, Koshyari’s remarks had sparked controversy when he said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a hero of the past era and that the state may turn to personalities such as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari as its present heroes. The comments sparked a huge controversy with Maratha organisations and opposition leaders demanding that the centre recall the governor.
“When we were in school, teachers would ask us about our favourite leaders and we would name Subhash Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru,” Koshyari had said at a convocation function in Aurangabad.
“In Maharashtra, if somebody asks you this question, you don’t need to look outside as Maharashtra is full of such tall leaders. Shivaji has become the hero of the past era. You can find the present heroes right here from Dr B R Ambedkar to (union minister) Nitin Gadkari,” Koshyari had said.
Sports complex with modern amenities soon
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday announced that a sports complex with all the modern amenities will be built in Pune for police personnel.
“It was decided in 2019 that a dedicated sports academy for policemen will be set up in Pune but the project was stuck as we were not in the government later. We are giving immediate approval for the academy and hostel,” he said.
According to Fadnavis, the sports complex will be set up at the SRPF campus where athletic tracks, multi-purpose halls, swimming pool and synthetic tracks will also be built for promoting sporting talent among police personnel. The sports complex-cum-academy will be set up at the earliest and the Maharashtra DGP will directly look into the issue.
Fadnavis said that Maharashtra is called the ‘economic powerhouse of India’ and Mumbai is called the ‘financial capital of India’ while Pune is called the ‘manufacturing, innovation and education capital of the nation’. He also lauded the sportspersons for their performance during the games and said that it was a proud moment for the country. “Games not only strengthen the body but also strengthen the mind and heart. Games are a platform for personality development of an individual. They inspire a person to win and also cultivate the spirit to tolerate loss. Players never accept defeat but they are always ready for the next haul. Police forces have a unique importance in sports and players are given a lot of importance in the police forces in the country,” he said.
Fadnavis also refuted all controversies related to police transfers and said, “All police officers who are due will be transferred and those whose transfer is not due will not be transferred. The transfers have been carried out as per the rules.”
