Shivaji bhakt tourists attack Muslim guide for saying Shivaji was held captive at fort
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A group of tourists from Maharashtra visiting Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh humiliated a local Muslim guide, Sageer Baig, by forcing him to rub his nose on the ground before a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as they did not like what he said about Shivaji’s history of being a captive in the fort.
The incident, which reportedly took place after an altercation, began when Baig mentioned that Shivaji was once held captive at the fort, a well-documented historical event that triggered the tourists’ anger, The Siasat Daily reported.
A video of the assault, which surfaced on social media on Wednesday, February 26, shows the tourists shouting at Baig, pushing him down aggressively, and compelling him to comply with their demands, while he appeared visibly distressed.
The tourists accused Baig of distorting history, even though his statement aligned with recorded historical accounts, and they forced him to apologise before releasing him.
Public discourse surrounding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha Empire has intensified in recent times, particularly following the release of Chhaava, a historical action movie based on the life of Shivaji’s elder son, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who ruled as the second king of the Maratha Empire from 1681 to 1689.
The controversy surrounding Shivaji’s legacy has fuelled debates, with some individuals aggressively reacting to interpretations that do not align with their perspectives.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son, Sambhaji, were indeed held captive at the Diwan-e-Aam of Agra Fort in 1666, after being invited by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb under the pretext of peace negotiations following the Treaty of Purandar.
The treaty, which was signed in 1665, led Shivaji to cede 23 forts, including Purandar Fort, to the Mughal Empire, but his reception at the Mughal court was cold, and he was eventually placed under house arrest. In a daring escape, Shivaji and Sambhaji managed to flee the fort by hiding in a fruit basket, and they later disguised themselves as monks to return to Maharashtra.
This captivity and escape marked a critical turning point in the conflict between the Marathas and the Mughals, as Shivaji launched renewed campaigns against Mughal territories in the Deccan and recaptured lost strongholds.