Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Descendant Criticises Pawar, Alleges Politicisation Of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha

Chaatrapati Shivaji Maharaja’s direct descendant Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale has now trained his guns against Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar over what he terms as political infiltration in the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in rural Maharashtra.  Sent to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP despite his defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Bhosale has been in the news at present for leading various protest actions organised to condemn the recent objectionable statements about Chhatrapati Shivaji.  Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, popularly called just Rayat, is among the largest educational institutions with over 4.5 lakh students and 17000 employees. Headed by Pawar for a long time, there is no representative from the royal Bhosale family on its governing body although the family had donated land during Rayat’s initial years. Not just Bhosale, even Shiv Sena (Uddhav) leaders from Satara had criticised Rayat on this count. Pawar’s detractors had alleged that due to political influence, even the job of painting Rayat’s buildings had been awarded to a person from Baramati. Bhosale visited the agitating employees of Rayat at Satara for their various demands. Blaming the role of politicians in Rayat, Bhosale said the founder, Bhaurao Patil, had stated in writing that the president of Rayat should be the chief minister of the state. However, it is captured by politicians, leading to the sorry situation when academicians have to protest for their rights.