Controversy Over 'Wagh Nakh' Brought to Maharashtra from London

Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar clarifies that no claims have been made about the 'wagh nakh' weapon from London being used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The government's expenditure to bring the weapon has also been clarified to be Rs 14.08 lakh. The weapon will be displayed in Satara for three years.

Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the legislative assembly Thursday that there have been no claims asserting that the 'wagh nakh' weapon being brought to the state from London was used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Mungantiwar also refuted allegations about the government spending crores to acquire the weapon from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, specifying that the costs amounted to Rs 14.08 lakh for travel and agreement formalities. The clarification follows claims by a historian that the wagh nakh purportedly used by Shivaji Maharaj to kill Bijapur Sultanate's general Afzal Khan remains in Satara.

The cultural relic will be displayed at a museum in Satara from July 19, after initial negotiations extended its loan period from one year to three years. The display will include the involvement of Shivaji's descendants to honor the heritage. While photo evidence from followers of Shivaji Maharaj indicated the weapon's use, official sources, including the UK museum, did not confirm its historical use by the Maratha king.