In July 1660, the Maratha forces, who were battling the Bijapur Sultanate’s army, were relieved by the firing of a cannon thrice from the Vishalgad Fort in Kolhapur district, signaling that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had entered the fort safely.

Exactly 364 years later, on July 14, the fort made news again. Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, a former Rajya Sabha MP and descendant of Shivaji, called upon his supporters, known as “Shiv bhakts,” to remove encroachments allegedly harming the sanctity of the fort. This led to violence, resulting in the vandalization of properties owned by Muslim residents and a local mosque in the nearby village of Gajapur, 3 km from the fort. The residents of Gajapur stated they had no link to the encroachments at the fort.

Following the violence, Sambhajiraje arrived at the scene and declared he would not leave until the encroachments were removed. He stated that there were 158 encroachments, with only six under litigation in court. “Why is no action being taken against the rest?” he asked. He left after receiving a phone call from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who assured him of action. Later that evening, Shinde visited Kolhapur to assess the situation.

While the ruling Mahayuti government, which claims Shivaji’s legacy, acted quickly, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi faced criticism as Sambhajiraje’s father, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, is a Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kolhapur. Shahu Maharaj condemned the violence and blamed the administration and police for failing to act on removing the encroachments earlier, which he said could have prevented the violence.

Shivaji’s legacy is central to Maharashtra’s political discourse, often involving historical events and forts. The encroachments at Vishalgad Fort, including shops, hotels, and private residences, have been contentious for years. The most disputed structures are around the Malik Rehan Dargah, about a kilometer from the fort, dating back to the 14th century and visited by devotees of all religions. Animal sacrifice at the dargah was discontinued following a Bombay High Court order.

The Mahayuti government had allocated Rs 1.17 crore to clear illegal structures at the fort, claiming in December last year that they had removed encroachments at its base. An official from the Kolhapur District Collector’s office mentioned that miscreants took over these structures after residents left following the ban on animal sacrifice, leading to frequent complaints about misuse by alcoholics.

On July 9, Sambhajiraje announced his intent to act against the encroachments due to the administration’s inaction. Following his announcement, a Hindu right-wing group performed a ‘maha aarti’ at the fort’s base, denying involvement in the July 14 violence.

Sambhajiraje asserted that there was no communal angle to the incident, stating that they intended to remove all encroachments, regardless of whether they were by Hindus or Muslims. “I know what secularism is and nobody needs to teach me that,” he said. His father, Shahu Maharaj, opposed any act of violence, emphasizing his responsibility to stand against injustice and announcing his visit to the affected areas.

Several Congress members condemned the violence, with the party planning a delegation led by Naseem Khan to meet Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla to demand strict action. Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused such incidents of being “orchestrated” ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.

Rumors had circulated before the Lok Sabha elections that Sambhajiraje might contest with his newly formed outfit, Swarajya. Although he did not run then, there is speculation that he might contest in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Former Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM leader Imtiyaz Jaleel has announced a protest march in Kolhapur later this week.

Regarding potential differences between him and his father, Sambhajiraje said his father was fulfilling his duty as an elected representative and that he, too, denounced violence. “Had the administration acted in time, nothing of this sort would have happened,” he reiterated.