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Mumbai: Minister of Cultural affairs, Sudhir Mungantiwar has strongly claimed that the 'Waghnakh' of Shivaji Maharaj (tiger nails a weapon) which the state government is bringing from Victoria and Albert Museum of London to Maharashtra are originally of Shivaji Maharaj. Controversy erupted after a historian alleged 'waghnakh' which the government is bringing from London does not belong to King Shivaji.
Mungantiwar informed the state assembly that In the year 2022 the State government had received requests from many Shivaji followers to remove illegal structures around Afzal Khan near the tomb which is below the Pratapgad fort. Those structures were removed by the government on the same day when Afzal Khan was killed by King Shivaji around 350 years back.
Followers of King Shivaji started demanding to bring back Wagh nakh from the london. They provided evidence, Documents, News paper cutting and information which they had with them to claim the original waghnakh of Shivaji is in the museum of London. Some had provide information from the website of the museum too.
Mungantiwar said Thereafter, the State government started communications with the museum to give waghnakha for the exhibition in Maharashtra where followers can have a look of it. "We communicated with the Prime Minister of India, the PM of England and the President of the museum, then they replied and informed us that the waghnakh are in the small box made in the year 1875."
Mungantiwar informed that the state government has evidence that in the year 1875 and 1895 waghnakh were kept in the exhibition at London. The news pertaining to this were published in the newspapers like Peerson weekly and Dandi Courier at that time.
Mungantiwar informed, Initially, the Museum was ready to give waghnakh for one year but after making more requests, museum management permitted it to hand over it for three years. This wagh nakh will be kept in the exhibition of Satara museum on July 19, 2024 to watch. Ammunition and armoury exhibition will also be held. There are thousands of historians in the country but only one has raised the question on it.
Mungantiwar refuted the claim made of giving rent to bring the wagh nakh in India. he informed the State government has paid only Rs 14 lakh 8thousand for the travelling and contract making of the wagh nakh. He refuted the claim that Rs 7 cr were spent to keep the Wagh nakh. He said Rs 7 Cr were spent on repair of armoury in the period of Shivji era in Maharashtra.
Mungantiwar informed Maharashtra state is celebrating the 350th coronation ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Therefore, the State government has decided to bring Waghnakha and organised exhibitions at Satara and three other places of Maharashtra so Shiv-Premi (followers of King Shivaji) can watch it.
Recently, One historian named Indrajit Sawant had conducted a press conference in Pune and alleged that 'Waghnakh' which are at the London museum are not the original 'Waghnakh' of King Shivaji.
