File case if my remarks about Sambhaji Maharaj amount to betrayal: Ajit Pawar to Maharashtra govt
Pune (PTI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Friday dared the Maharashtra government to register a case against him if his remarks about the 17th century Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj amounted to "droh" or betrayal.
Pawar, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, has been facing criticism after he stated that Sambhaji Maharaj was 'Swarajya-rakshak' or protector of the independent state carved out by his father, Shivaji Maharaj, and not 'Dharmaveer' (religious warrior) as described by some right-wing Hindu groups.
On Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis had said that to say that Sambhaji Maharaj was not 'Dharmaveer' amounted to betrayal ("droh") of his thoughts and injustice to him.
Asked about Fadnavis's statement, Pawar, a former deputy CM, said the BJP leader can say whatever he wants to say.
"They are in power. If you find any betrayal, then register an offense. See if it makes out a legal case. Betrayal of the thoughts espoused by the Chhatrapatis (Shivaji Maharaj and his descendants) is not possible till there is last breath in our bodies. Our ten generations would not betray their thoughts," Pawar said.
The NCP leader also said that he did not insist that everyone agree with his opinions.
"What offense have I committed that they are asking for apology?" Pawar asked.
No one is talking about the objectionable remarks made by the Governor (Bhagat Singh Koshyari), ministers and MLAs from the ruling party (the BJP) about Shivaji Maharaj, he further said.
NCP workers, meanwhile, welcomed Pawar after he arrived at Baramati Hostel here. Many of them sported stickers on their motorcycles which referred to Sambhaji Maharaj as 'Swarajya-rakshak'.
Sambhaji Maharaj, the second Chhatrapati (sovereign ruler) of the Maratha state, ruled from 1681 to 1689 till he was captured and executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
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Unjustified, says Russia on US pressure on India for buying Russian crude oil
New Delhi, (PTI): The US pressure on India for its procurement of Russian crude oil is "unjustified", a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday.
We are confident that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue notwithstanding the external pressure, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said.
It is a "challenging" situation for India, he said at a media briefing and added that, we have "trust" in our ties with New Delhi.
In the context of Western punitive measures against Russia, Babushkin said the sanctions are hitting those who are imposing them.
To a question, he said the role of BRICS as a stabilising force will increase amid the ongoing global turbulence.
His remarks came against the backdrop of strain in India's ties with the US following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent that included an additional penalty of 25 percent for purchasing Russian crude oil.
US President Trump this month issued an executive order slapping an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil.
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.
Consequently, from a mere 1.7 percent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia's share increased to 35.1 percent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India.
