Last week saw the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, a former Rajya Sabha MP, along with his supporters, who call themselves ‘Shiv bhakts,’ acting on the allegation of encroachment on the Vishalgad Fort, which resulted in the destruction of several properties belonging to Muslim residents and a mosque nearby.
Sambhajiraje made a call to his supporters to gather to remove the encroachment, which he termed as harming the sanctity of the fort, resulting in violent clashes and vandalism of properties owned by Muslim residents and a local mosque in the nearby village of Gajapur, The Indian Express reported.
In July 1660, the Maratha forces battling the Bijapur Sultanate were relieved when the firing of a cannon three times from Vishalgad Fort signalled that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had safely entered the fort.
Sambhajiraje's supporters responded to his call with fervour, leading to the destruction of properties in Gajapur, which is located 3 km from Vishalgad Fort. The village residents asserted they had no connection to the encroachments at the fort.
Following the violence, Sambhajiraje visited the site, demanding the removal of the encroachments and pledging to remain until action was taken. He claimed that of the 158 identified encroachments, only six were under litigation, questioning why the remaining ones had not been addressed.
The situation de-escalated only after a phone call from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who assured Sambhajiraje that action would be taken. Later that day, Shinde visited Kolhapur to assess the situation personally.
This response by the Mahayuti government, which prides itself on upholding Shivaji’s legacy, left the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in a difficult position. The opposition was further embarrassed as Sambhajiraje’s father, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, is the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kolhapur.
In the aftermath of the violence, Shahu Maharaj condemned the events and called for action against those responsible. He criticized the administration and police for not addressing the encroachment issue earlier, suggesting that their inaction had allowed the situation to escalate. The encroachments at Vishalgad Fort, including shops, hotels, and private residences, have been a contentious issue for years. The most controversial structures are those near the Malik Rehan Dargah, a 14th-century site visited by devotees of all religions.
The Mahayuti government had allocated Rs 1.17 crore to clear illegal structures at the fort and claimed to have removed encroachments at its base. A staffer at the Kolhapur District Collector’s office mentioned that some residents vacated these structures after a ban on animal sacrifice at the Dargah, leaving them to be occupied by miscreants. Complaints about these premises being misused by alcoholics were frequent.
On July 9, Sambhajiraje declared his intention to act against the encroachments due to the administration's failure to do so. Following this announcement, a Hindu right-wing outfit performed a 'maha aarti' at the fort’s base, denying involvement in the subsequent violence. Sambhajiraje maintained that there was no communal angle to the incident, stating that encroachments by both Hindus and Muslims needed to be removed.
Shahu Maharaj, who had been chosen over Sambhajiraje for the Lok Sabha elections, emphasized his responsibility to stand against injustice and planned to visit the areas affected by the violence.
Several Congress colleagues supported his stance against the violence, with a party delegation set to meet Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla to demand strict action. Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused that such incidents were being orchestrated ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
Amid speculations about his political ambitions, Sambhajiraje reiterated his opposition to violence and blamed administrative delays for the escalation. Former Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM leader Imtiyaz Jaleel announced a protest march in Kolhapur.