Ramdas Athawale disagrees with Guv remark that Shivaji is an old icon

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Monday expressed disagreement with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's statement that Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an "old icon".

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Monday expressed disagreement with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's statement that Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an "old icon". While talking to ANI, the Union Minister said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our pride.

"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our beloved leader. He unites all castes and religions. Babasaheb Ambedkar is definitely an inspiration for us, but we don't agree with the statement of the Maharashtra Governor," he said. Athawale also reacted to Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Prakash Ambedkar's meeting at an event of relaunching a website on Prabondhankar Thackeray.

"Uddhav Thackeray mentioned Shivshakti Bhimshakti. I want to tell him that when I met Balasaheb Thackeray in 2011, at that time, he proposed to me that with Shivshakti, these Bhimshakti should come, and power will change. And, now it was changed," he said. Ramdas Athawale also said that Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena will be "thrown" out of power in the upcoming BMC Municipal Corporation elections.

"Prakash Ambedkar does not have Bhim Shakti, I have Bhim Shakti. His shakti is not Bhim Shakhti, even if Uddhav Thackeray and Prakash Ambedkar both of them come together there will be no special result, as our Bhim Shakti will be with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The upcoming BMC Municipal Corporation elections will throw Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) out of power," he added. Earlier on Saturday, while addressing a function at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad, the Maharashtra governor said, "If someone asks who your idol is, you don't have to go out looking for one. You will find them right here in Maharashtra. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has become an old idol now, you can find new ones -- from Babasaheb Ambedkar to (Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways) Nitin Gadkari."

The statement sparked a massive furore and drew censure from Maratha organisations and Opposition leaders alike. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)