Shivaji nu halardu (In Gujarati)
Singer: Arvind Barot and Meena Patel

Janata Raja: One of the best play based on Shivaji Maharaj

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said that the Centre should take a leaf out of King Shivaji’s life.

“In a letter written to Aurangazeb protesting the imposition of ‘jazia’ (tax) on Hindus, Shivaji had endorsed secularism…Even three hundred years ago he knew about secularism,” Modi said, inaugurating an exhibition of the 17th century Maratha king’s life here.

“Unfortunately, three hundred years on, our Prime Minister today says people of a particular community have first right to country’s resources,” the BJP leader said.

He also said that “today’s rulers must look up to King Shivaji, as even three hundred years ago he had paid heed to development of infrastructure… He built roads connecting his forts.” The Maratha legend was not given his due by the history, Modi rued, saying Indian historians hail likes of Alexander and Napolean, but few rulers in the world could build an empire with scarce resources and hard topography that Maharashtra offered.

Shivaji should be an ideal figure for all those fighting terrorism, he said.

Modi also claimed that the Supreme Court had yesterday upheld a Gujarat legislation banning cow slaughter. Saying that even Mahatma Gandhi was proponent of ban on cow slaughter, he appealed to the government to bring in similar law for other states.

Naik Subedar Bana Singh, who won the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in preventing a Siachen post from falling into Pakistan Army’s hands in 1987, was on Wednesday awarded the inaugural Sivaji-FACT award for courage.

“For all the services this great hero did for the country, the government sees it fit to give him a pension of Rs 100-odd. Hence we decided to give him a cheque of Rs 1 lakh,” said Francois Gautier, the trustee of the Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism, a non-profit organization, said while presenting the cheque to Singh.

At the function in Mumbai, chants of Jai Gurudev and Gujarat ka sher ayaa overlapped as Ravi Shankar and Modi stepped on to the stage together. The two charismatic leaders, who inaugurated an exhibition on Chatrapati Sivaji, spoke about the greatness of the Marathi leader.

Gautier threw the rule book out of the window and surprised the dignitaries by inviting them out of turn and asking them to speak extempore.

Ravi Shankar, who was asked to speak of Sivaji and his spiritual side, said: “One day, Sivaji who was tired of all the problems he faced as a ruler, went to Samarta Ramdas and laid down his crown in front of the swami. Sivaji said he found the burden of ruling was too much for him to handle. The swami accepted it and when Sivaji was just about to leave, he called him and placed a proposition in front of him. The swami said he would take the mantle of the ruler under one condition: that Sivaji work for him.

“Sivaji gladly accepted and returned to rule the country with great prudence. All he needed was the burden of responsibility taken off him.”

Modi, who was asked to speak on Sivaji as an inspiration for those in public life, said: “The brand of secularism that Sivaji followed was the real deal. He wrote to the Mughal rulers, who levied a tax on Hindus, asking them to revoke the tax.

“I do not know why the government in Delhi is so uneasy when the subject of terrorism is broached. They should also learn from Sivaji. He was the person who engaged in guerrilla warfare against those who invaded the country, which is a form of terrorism so to speak.

“And third, Sivaji was one of the first persons to protect the cow. Will the center again learn a lesson from Sivaji, and if not him at least Mahatma Gandhi , who also fought for the protection of the cow, and pass a law to protect the cow across the nation?” he said.