Marathi actor Rahul Solapurkar sparked controversy with his statement that 17th-century warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj escaped from Agra by bribing multiple Mughal chieftains under Emperor Aurangzeb.
His statement faced a strong backlash, with BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale condemning him as “derogatory” and stating that individuals making such claims should be “shoot” or “stoned to death.”
Questioning over the actor’s police security, Bhosale, a 13th descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, told India Today, “I feel that such people should be shot wherever they are found or they should be stoned to death. Why are the Maharashtra Police providing security to him?”
In an interview, Solapurkar asserted that Shivaji Maharaj did not escape from Agra hidden inside a “sweet box,” as commonly believed. He claimed that this version of events was only added for “entertainment” purposes in historical narratives.
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj actually gave bribes to the chieftains of Aurangzeb and his wife. There are proofs of it. So they left from Agra with an official letter. (Poet) Swami Paramanand left with five elephants in the end and there are proofs of it,” he claimed.
Udayanraje Bhosle Describes Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj As India’s Pride
Criticising the actor, Bhosale called for Solapurkar to be tried for treason and questioned his authority to make “derogatory remarks” about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Emphasising Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy, Bhosale described him as India’s pride, a leader who never compromised on his principles. He added that Shivaji was a selfless leader who founded Swarajya. Several nations across the world took inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Bhosale also announced plans to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to demand action against Solapurkar. “We will not allow his films or shows to be released. I warn the people of the film industry to not entertain him or give him any work. He should also be removed from the trust of (director Madhur) Bhandarkar institute,” the BJP MP said.
