The BJP on Wednesday accused Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by offering him "shradhanjali" (homage) on his birth anniversary instead of the customary "adaranjali" (respectful tribute).
BJP MLA from Mumbai, Atul Bhatkhalkar, criticised Rahul Gandhi's choice of words, stating that "shradhanjali" is inappropriate for such occasions.
Mr Bhatkhalkar accused Mr Gandhi of intentional or unintentional slight to Maharashtra's pride and demanded that he immediately retract his post on social media platform X, or face legal consequences.
The controversy stemmed from Mr Gandhi's post on X in Hindi which mentioned that he was offering "sadar naman and vinamra shraddhanjali" to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.
छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज जी की जयंती पर उन्हें सादर नमन और अपनी विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करता हूं।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 19, 2025
अपने साहस और शौर्य से उन्होंने हमें निडरता और पूरे समर्पण के साथ आवाज़ उठाने की प्रेरणा दी।
उनका जीवन हम सभी के लिए सदैव प्रेरणास्रोत रहेगा। pic.twitter.com/1jOCYOkrC1
"Rahul Gandhi has once again insulted Maharashtra's pride. Using 'shradhanjali' instead of 'adaranjali' is not just a mistake. Rahul Gandhi either intentionally or unintentionally keeps expressing his disregard for iconic figures from Maharashtra. It is a serious matter," Mr Bhatkhalkar told a Marathi news channel.
The Maharashtra BJP unit also raised the issue on X, accusing Congress of misusing Shivaji Maharaj's name for political gain. "Hindus will never forgive Congress for this," the BJP's post read.
"Rahul Gandhi has demonstrated his perversity deliberately on the birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj. Congress is once again exposed as it uses Shivaji Maharaj for its political benefits," the BJP stated.
Responding to the criticism, Congress state spokesperson Atul Londhe claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in the past used "shradhanjali" in his message on Shiv Jayanti.
"If the BJP believes using 'shradhanjali' is an insult, will they demand an apology from Modi as well?" Mr Londhe asked.
He accused the BJP of repeatedly disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
"They talk about honouring Shivaji Maharaj, but what happened to the statue in Malvan (Sindhudurg district) Modi had inaugurated? It collapsed. What happened to the grand memorial in the Arabian Sea for which Modi performed 'jalpujan'? Not a single brick has been laid," Mr Londhe alleged.
The Congress spokesperson alleged that BJP leaders, including former Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, had disrespected Shivaji Maharaj.
"The BJP has repeatedly used Maharaj for political gains while failing to honour his legacy. When will they apologise for their own actions?" Mr Londhe asked.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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