Jyeshtha Shuddha Panchami
G. T. Madkholkar, a renowned novelist and a journalist had asked Yashawantrao Chavan, the then Chief Minister of ‘Samyukta Maharashtra’ that did the State belong to Marathi i.e. Marathi speaking people or to Maratha community. Yashawantrao had very honestly given an assurance through his answer that it would be comprehensive being impartial to any caste and creed. There are some people in Maharashtra who consider Sharad Pawar as an adopted son of Yashwantrao Chavan.
Today, in Maharashtra, there is only one person who is popular, rich, a profound statesman, has a bank among all industrialists and media, mingles with people from all strata of society and who wants to become the prime minister of this country and that is Sharad Pawar. But very sadly, we have to say that Maratha community’s selfishness, as it is going against the principle of ‘being comprehensive’, has become nuisance for the whole State despite the State nearing completion of 60 years of its existence.
The views of Sharad Pawar in this context are still not known. Is the Home Ministry of Maharashtra controlled by Purushottam Khedekar, founder president of Maratha Sewa Sangh? A big equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is proposed to be erected in the sea near Mumbai and a committee has been formed by Maharashtra Government for the purpose under the presidency of historian Ballal Moreshwar alias Babasaheb Purandare. Khedekar has, however, demanded to withdraw Purandare from this committee and he has threatened that the Government should pay respect to his demand, else not only Purandare would be beaten up but even the chief minister would not be spared. Khedekar has alleged that Purandare is an agent of James Lain.
The work done by Purandare towards propagation and spread of history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is so immense that even his foes would not make such allegations against him. Purandare is an octogenarian and has been doing this work for almost 60 years now, with full devotion. He has nararted the greatness of Shivaraya to the whole of Maharashtra in a very simple but very motivating and fascinating manner with the same devotion that Saint Namadeo used to remember Vithuraya (Lord Vitthal).
At least two generations of Marathi people have grown up listening to the history of Shivaji Maharaj from Purandare. Many philosophers and thinkers have been instrumental in keeping Maharashtra balanced, on firm footing and lectures and literature by Purandare on life history of Shivaji Maharaj are of great significance among them. The only flaw in Purandare seems to be that he is a Brahmin.
Rather than playing politics based on hatred, every leader including Sharad Pawar should ponder over the fact that why need of reservation for Maratha community has arisen even though the power including financial control has always remained in their hands for so many years. There are many reasons for Sharad Pawar missing the boat of prime ministership and one of the main reasons is that he could not stop a mean person like Khedekar. Brahmin community may be very small in size but it is capable of recovering. The main worry, however, is that in such atmosphere, what is the future of the downtrodden and exploited society.
Source: Daily sanatan Prabhat
