Chhindam disqualified as corporator over Shivaji remark

The Maharashtra government has disqualified former deputy mayor of Ahmednagar Shripad Chhindam as corporator for insulting Shivaji Maharaj, a senior minister said here on Friday.

Chhindam had kicked up a controversy with an objectionable statement about the 17th century iconic warrior king in 2018. An audio clip of his statement had gone viral. Subsequently his party, the BJP, sacked him. He was later elected again to the civic body as an independent.

"Shivaji Maharaj is considered a deity in Maharashtra. The government works as per the Maharaj's ideals. Chhindam had insulted Shivaji Maharaj. Hence he was disqualified," Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde said.

"Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation had passed a resolutionseeking his disqualification. The resolution came to me for decision. Anyone who insults Shivaji Maharaj has no right to remain a public representative," the senior Shiv Sena leader told reporters outside the legislature complex.

READ: Is Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti A Public Holiday Or Not?