Rahul Gandhi in Pune Shows No Respect to Chhatrapati But Speaks About Maratha Reservation

Disrespect towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Before commencing his address, Congress party workers/volunteers were seen honouring him with Puneri Phagdi, a shawl and a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. However, the Congress leader, displaying apparent disinterest, briefly accepted the statue for no more than five seconds. Subsequently, he turned away from the statue and told the Congress worker to remove it. This moment, captured on video, circulated widely on social media, sparking controversy over the perceived disrespect shown to the revered figure of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.


Moreover, when a politician raises the slogan of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, they do it before the beginning of their address. However, Rahul Gandhi chose to do it in the end. Reports suggest that Congress leader Vishwajit Kadam handed a note to Rahul Gandhi after which Rahul Gandhi mentioned Chhatrapati Shivaji Mahara. Notably, Vishwajit Kadam made sure to retrieve this note upon leaving. Never mind, not everyone can be like PM Narendra Modi who not only paid tribute to the great Maratha leader at the beginning of his speech but also delivered a few words in Marathi during his visit to Pune.

Dwarka Puja, a mere 'drama'?

Notably, in February 2024, PM Narendra Modi went underwater, in the deep sea and prayed at the site where the submerged city of Dwarka is. "To pray in the city of Dwarka, which is immersed in the waters, was a very divine experience. I felt connected to an ancient era of spiritual grandeur and timeless devotion. May Bhagwan Shri Krishna bless us all," he said.


Therefore, in the guise of criticising PM Modi, he called praying in the submerged city of Dwarka as drama, "Narendra Modi kabhi Pakistan ki baat karega, kabhi samundar ke niche jaakar drama karega. Aapne dekha, pata nahin dekha ya nahin wo samundar ke niche jaakar dara hua tha, ki kaheen kuch ho na jaaye yahaan par. Majaak bana rakha hai raajaneeti ka (Narendra Modi will sometimes talk about Pakistan, sometimes will go under the sea and create drama. Whether you saw it or don't but he was scared of going under the sea, that something might happen there). With this, he once again showed hatred towards Sanatan Dharma unlike talking about the unity and diversity existing in India.

Absurd promise of 73% reservation

As usual, he also made an absurd promise about increasing the 50% reservation quota and dared PM Modi to make a similar announcement. He also ensured reservations for Maratha, Dhangar, and others dividing the Hindu community based on caste for the sake of vote gains. "Of the total population, 15% are Dalit, 8% adivasis and nearly 50% from backward classes which takes the population of marginalised communities to 73%. After coming to power, we will do away with the 50% artificial cap on quota which has been causing injustice to crores of Indians", he added that it will include Maratha and Dhangar. Meanwhile, PM Modi had already stated, during his visit to Pune, that Congress wants to “steal” the reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other backward classes (OBCs) and hand them over to Muslims in an act of political appeasement.


With all these statements, it becomes crucial for Indian citizens to reflect on supporting a leader who consistently humiliates Maratha rulers like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, shows disrespect towards Sanatan Dharma, and makes promises of increasing reservation that are deemed unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional amid the ongoing elections. It's worth contemplating the potential consequences of entrusting the nation's governance to such a leader.