In the English text book of Education Board in Telangana, titled ‘Our World Through English’, false history related to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has been published, glorifying Christians which has hurt religious sentiments of billions of Shivaji-patrons. Telangana Government should immediately withdraw this lesson from the curriculum; besides taking stringent action against those who included such lesson based on false history’, is the demand made by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), supported by Shivaji Kranti Sena (SKS).

The true history is that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj killed two assailants to save John; but by asking misleading questions, students are made to believe that John was more valiant than Shivaji Maharaj. The layout of Fort Raigad which was the capital of ‘Swarajya’ was such that no foreigner could have entered the fort; then the question is how did John reach there ?

It has been stated in the lesson that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who looted ornament-box from Surat, said that people had first right to the wealth and later gave the box to John. It has thus been wrongly depicted that he was a robber and was using the wealth of people, for self.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj attacked Surat and looted this city. In this attack, a diamond- studded box full of ornaments of Adam Smith was stolen which also had his wife’s portrait. Adam sent his nephew John to Raigad to get back the box. After going to Maharaj’s court, he saw everything that was looted including the box and John told Maharaj to return the box to him as it was his. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, however, said that the wealth now belonged to people and could not be returned and ordered John to leave Raigad within 3 days.

On the next day, John was sitting alone on the fort Raigad when in the evening, he saw a ‘Maratha’ soldier roaming around. Suddenly, 3 persons came from nowhere with swords to kill the soldier. He ran away in the direction of ‘Khind’ and waited for the attackers.

Out of them, one person attacked John with the sword but he was wearing over-coat so he was saved. John floored the person and turned to the other two when the Maratha soldier rushed with his sword and killed the two attackers. John saw the face of that Maratha soldier when he realized that he was none other than Shivaji and he was holding his shining ‘Bhavani’ sword.

In the meanwhile, the attacker floored by John got up and attacked Shivaji; but he lost his balance and fell off from a railing, below over stones. Shivaji was happy to see John and thanked John for saving his life and invited him to Court on the following day offering to take whatever he wanted. On the following day, John went to his Court and got back his box. Later, he was felicitated by Shivaji Maharaj and sent back to Surat.

We petition the Telangana Education Minister and Telangana Educational Research and Training Institute to immediately withdraw the false content.

Note: Above material taken from HJS website: http://www.hindujagruti.org/news/52390.html?utm_campaign=hjs&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=hjstwitter

Shivaji Kranti Sena