Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyai stoked a controversy after he claimed that Samarth Ramdas was Chhatrapati Shivaji’s guru. "Many chakravartis (emperors), maharajas took birth on this land. But, who would have asked about Chandragupta had there not been Chanakya? Who would have asked about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had there not been Samarth (Ramdas)," he said. "I am not questioning the calibre of Chandragupta and Shivaji Maharaj. Like a mother who plays a key role in shaping her child. Similarly, the role of guru (teacher) has a big place in our society," the governor had said.
The Governor came under serious attack from ruling and opposition parties. His statement came when the rift between him and the MVA government is widening on a couple of issues.
NCP and Congress staged protests against the Governor's remarks. A number of politicians including Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and Chhatrapati Shivendraraje Bhosale took strong exception. However, the Governor later clarified that ‘’Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is the inspiration of the nation and from what I knew, from what I had read in the early days, I knew that Samarth Ramdas Swami was his guru. But if people have told me some facts from history, I will check those facts further. "
Earlier, NCP MP Supriya Sule uploaded a video relating to his father and party president Sharad Pawar explaining that Chhatrapati Shivaji’s mother Jijamata was his guru and not Samarth Ramdas. She claimed that there is no evidence of the Shivaji and Ramdas having the teacher-disciple relationship.
Sule also cited a July 16, 2018 judgement of the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court, before which the state government had submitted that "no record was available to show that Shivaji Maharaj had occasion to meet Ramdas or Shivaji Maharaj was treating Ramdas as his guru." "There is no evidence of there being a guru-shishya relationship between Ramdas and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," said Sule.
BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale, who is the direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, said the comment had hurt the sentiments of the Maratha warrior king's followers and entire Maharashtra and asked the Governor to withdraw it immediately. Bhosale said Ramdas was "never” the guru of the Maratha warrior king and that Koshyari should have made the comment keeping in mind the post he holds.
Targeting Koshyari, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut asked the BJP to explain its position on the issue.
The BJP would have created ruckus on the streets by now had someone else made such a statement, the Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson told a news channel in New Delhi.
“There is anger in Maharashtra after the statement made by their governor. I think the BJP needs to take a stand on this issue immediately," he said.
