Agra: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asserted that celebrating great Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary in Diwan-e-Aam at Agra’s Red Fort in Uttar Pradesh was a historic and golden moment.
Shinde was speaking on the occasion of celebration of 393rd birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which was celebrated in Red Fort in Agra with great fanfare on last night.
This program of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebration was organized by Government of Maharashtra, R. R. Patil Foundation and Ajinkya Devagiri Pratishthan, Aurangabad.
The program was attended by Minister of Cultural Affairs Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister of Marathi Language Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of Employment Guarantee and Horticulture Sandipan Bhumre, Minister of Law and Justice of Uttar Pradesh Upadhyay, Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve, Union Minister of State for Law S. P. Sih Baghel, Union Minister of State for Panchayat Raj Kapil Patil, MLA Prashant Bamb, former Speaker Haribhau Bagde, MLA Sanjay Shirsat, Satish Chavan and other dignitaries were present.
Shivaji Maharaj was kept under house arrest by Aurangzeb in the Red Fort. In this fort, Shivaji Maharaj had fearlessly spoken defiant words to Aurangzeb. From here Shivaji Maharaj escaped from the clutches of Aurangzeb, said Shinde.
Speaking further he said that, “I have come in this program not as Chief Minister but as a supporter of Shivaji Maharaj. During the period of tyranny of Mughal, Adilshahi, Nizamshahi, Shivaraya established Hindu Swarajya and ushered in the welfare state. So even today Shivaji Maharaj is always a guide. Shivarai was a skilled organizer and politician. Shivaji Maharaj means divine power. They wanted not only to build an empire but also to provide welfare to the ryots(farmer). He planted the seeds of freedom” Shinde said.
He added that the deity of Maharashtra and India is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of Hindu Swarajya. Shivaji Maharaj had shown his brilliance to Mughal King Aurangzeb in this Diwan-A-Khas, said Shinde.
On this occasion message from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was broadcast. Introduction of the program was done by Vinod Patil of RR Patil Foundation.
In the program, Nitin Sarkate Hansraj, Vaishali Made sang, Shivba Pallana sang. Artist Sarvam Patel presented Shivaji Maharaj’s life journey through sand art. A short play on the life of Shivaji Maharaj was presented.
