Who is True Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bhakt ?
The one following his path or the one using his name ?

There are some who just take the names of great leaders & claim to follow them while there are those who internalize the lessons of the great leaders !

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a great icon who many try to claim as their own but who will you call a true Shivaji bhakt ??

The one who’s named his party after him or one who’s internalized his ideals & followed his principles of visionary leadership, good governance & improving quality of life of all?

Many “Bhakts” claim that Modiji is a true bhakt of Shivaji Maharaj who’s followed his ideals

Is that true ?

Let’s see the proof !

We all know about Shivaji Maharaj’s military genius – so let’s start with that !

Shivaji knew the importance of forts in controlling the surrounding areas!

Now who proactively conquered the peaks near Pangong Tso proactively to humble the dragon ?

Shivaji Maharaj created his own army of locals, lead by local chieftains & not imported French or Siddhi commanders !

Now who’s reduced defense imports? Who’s ensured that we have desi “Bofors”, desi submarines, desi full range of missiles which can be launched from air, land, water & even underwater ?

Shivaji made the Marathas a naval superpower

Who has created an axis with US, Japan & Australia to keep a check on the South China Sea & the Pacific Ocean ?

Who has created a diamond necklace of ports encircling the pearls of China ?

Who took control of Chabahar port in Iran to reach Central Asia & to checkmate the dragon’s ambitious BRI initiative which leads to Gwadar port in Balochistan ?

Shivaji was deeply influenced by his mother. What marks him different from kings of that era was the deep respect with which he & his army treated all women – they were never captured or enslaved !

Seeing his mother’s hardships have made Modiji create a lot of his flagship schemes for women – who have remained his strongest voters – who always “silently” stand by him – whether it was to prevent going back to Jungleraj in Bihar or walking miles to fetch water !

Most of his schemes – like Ujjwala, irrigation projects (in many parts, women spend half the day fetching water ), Nal se Jal, Jan Dhan accounts in name of women, Poshan, Saubhagya, triple talaq Bill – make women’s lives better & by extension, that of her family

Now let’s come to governance! Shivaji abolished jagirdari concept & gave salaries to all his employees- including admin & military. He eliminated middlemen in tax collections & was strict against the corrupt !

I would say that it had been the biggest achievement of Modiji- to eliminate the middlemen – by removing needless laws, bureaucratic red tapism & using technology to reach directly to people! With JAM (Jan Dhan- Aadhar – Mobile notification), he’s put money directly into people’s accounts ( now no one can say – paisa ghista hain ); with Fast- tag, now toll money will no longer be unaccounted. The 3 new farm laws also try to eliminate the middlemen!

Shivaji Maharaj understood the concept of strategic retreat! So when Raja Mansingh came to capture the Deccan, Shivaji Maharaj signed the treaty of Purandar & gave up ~23 forts – just like Modiji is willing to have an 18 month moratorium on the contentious farm laws ! Sometimes, it’s better to take a few steps back to take a bigger leap & Modiji knows that

One of Shivaji Maharaj’s greatest achievement is that historic escape from Agra & recapturing all the forts he had surrendered in Purandar treaty & becoming a Chhatrapati who’s coronation was attended by ambassadors across the world!

Modiji did that when he escaped the trap of saffron terror put by Congress! They hid the truth that Ishrat Jehan was an LeT operative & part of a plan to assassinate him ! They tried to hold him responsible for Gujarat riots with the nexus of NGOs like those of Testa & Aakar Patel, news reporters (Barkha, Rajdeep’s coverage of Gujarat riots), cops like Sanjiv Bhatt & even international media! Modiji was perhaps the first Indian politician to be denied US visa for the “genocide” he allegedly “committed” ( just like the farmers genocide that he’s allegedly planning ) But Modiji escaped the trap like Maharaj & not only recaptured all lost ground by winning 3 elections as CM but got catapulted to the chair of PM & now to a world leader who’s considered a Vishwaguru – a global statesman leading the world in fight against a global pandemic & world peace by standing bravely against the bullying dragon

Now tell me who’s the real Shivaji bhakt ?

Who has internalised the moral upbringing & teachings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or is just running a party in his name ?

Shivaji Maharaj is not just a Maratha or Marathi icon but is an inspirational figure not just to all Indians but to the entire world ! He belongs to all of us & his teachings will continue to inspire generations on the path of righteousness & true freedom.