Pune: NCP MP Amol Kolhe to boycott Shivaji Jayanti state function

Pune, Feb 16

Actor and Nationalist Congress Party MP Dr. Amol Kolhe on Thursday announced that he will boycott the Maharashtra government's official function marking the 393rd birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to be held at Shivneri Fort in Pune, on February 19.

"For many years, despite its historic significance, there has been no permanent saffron flag installed at Shivneri Fort. I have been making repeated requests and even raised the issue in the Parliament but nothing has moved," said Kolhe, who represents Shirur constituency in the Lok Sabha.

Noted for portraying the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhani in several tele-serials and films, Kolhe hails from Junnar in Pune and the Shivneri Fort falls in his Parliamentary constituency.

The government's function is scheduled at the historic Shivneri Fort in Pune district, which is the birthplace of Shivaji who was born there on February 19, 1630.

However, Kolhe said that he would visit the Shivneri Fort that morning independently to celebrate the day and offer tributes at the memorial of the Maratha warrior king in the fort, comprising the statues of Rajmata Jijabai and a young Bal Shivaji.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, ministers and other dignitaries, including possibly Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are expected to attend the special Shivaji Jayanti function on Sunday at the Shivneri Fort.

Ranked as an 'invincible' hillfort, the triangular-shaped Shivneri Fort has a temple dedicated to Goddess Shivai Devi, after whom the infant Shivaji was named, and is the place where he spent several years of his childhood.

The fort is spread over 1.6 sq. km, has seven strong gates, mudwalls surround the structure, along with a prayer hall, a tomb, a mosque, an execution area, a freshwater pond fed by two springs which flow throughout the year.

In 2021, the imposing Shivneri Fort was included in the tentative list of the Unesco World Heritage Sites.