India’s Hindutva groups use 17th-century racist king as anti-Muslim symbol
Campaign part of broader Hindutva project to portray India as Hindu state
New Delhi: Hindu nationalist groups in India have erected hundreds of statues of 17th-century Maratha’s racist king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj across various cities, projecting him as a symbol of resistance against Muslims.
According to Kashmir Media Service, since 2022, statues up to 27 metres high have appeared in states including Telangana, Maharashtra and Ladakh, sometimes with the help of local authorities and the military.
Analysts say the campaign is part of a broader Hindutva project to push a pan-Hindu cultural identity and portray India as a de facto Hindu state.
Rohit Chopra, professor at Santa Clara University, noted that Shivaji is being “recast as a Hindu nationalist figure” with significance for all of India, not just Maharashtra.
Chopra said the narrative is “historically completely inaccurate,” pointing out that Shivaji had Muslims in his army and Aurangzeb had Hindus in his, and that the battles were regional, not religious.
The statue drive comes amid ongoing targeting of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, since the BJP took power in 2014.
Critics say the monuments serve as “another reminder that minorities don’t have a claim on public space. “The BJP-led governments in several states have also allocated funds to projects promoting Shivaji’s legacy.
