Amid a political storm that has erupted in Maharashtra over book comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, BJP leader Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale on Tuesday hit out at Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, stating that Shiv Sena should be called 'Thackeray Sena' as it uses the name of Maharaj as per the need.
The book, titled "Aaj ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi" is written by BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal.
Showing a poster of Maharashtra Chief Uddhav Thackeray at Shiv Sena's party office, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bhosale said in a press conference, "If Shiv Sena respects Maharaj than they should not have kept Thackeray's poster above Maharaj's sculpture."
Taking jibe at Maha Vikas Aghadi led by Shiv Sena-NCP and Congress, he said, "Shiv Sena has removed Shiva from Maha Shiva Aghadi... This is because the party uses the name of Maharaj as per its needs."
"I am telling you that your time is over. Stop calling yourself Shiv Sena, instead, you should call yourself 'Thackeray Sena'. People of Maharashtra are not fools," he added
The BJP leader said that he did not pay any money to the writer to write the said book. "I never misused the name of Chhatrapati," he said.
He said, "It feels bad to see that Maharaj is being compared. No one has the same height as the Maharaj in the world."
Cornering NCP chief Sharad Pawar who is always named Janata Raja by his supporters, he said: "Only Shivaji Maharaj was Janta Raja (People's king). I condemn anyone claims to be so."
The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, which are part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, have criticised the book and demanded warrior king's descendants to clarify their stand over the issue.
"We condemn the attempt to equate Narendra Modiji with Shivaji Maharaj by the Delhi office of the BJP. Shivaji Maharaj was known for his values and ideology which kept everyone together and established Swarajya. All those ideals are being threatened here and the status of Shivaji Maharaj is being brought down," Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant had told reporters.
On Monday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday termed the book as "insulting" and demanded that it be banned.He said the BJP should declare that it has no link with the book.
( With inputs from ANI )