Mumbai, Nov 9 (IANS): Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati -- the 13th direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj -- and founder of the Swarajya Paksha, as well as leading historian Indrajit Sawant, on Friday debunked a statement that spiritual guru and saint Samarth Ramdas worked with the Maratha warrior king by uniting youth from Maharashtra during the period of slavery.

"We do not challenge the importance of Samarth Maharaj. It is not right and acceptable to associate Samarth Ramdas with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Jijau Maasaheb was the only ideal and only Guru of Shivaji Maharaj,’’ argued Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati.

Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati expressed his displeasure over a statement made by a heavyweight political leader during a poll rally in Sangli district on Friday.

"Samarth Ramdas is great in his own place, in fact he is, but if you add Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas, it cannot be like that. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had only one ideal and only Guru Jijau Maasaheb (his mother),’’ he said.

On the other hand, a well-known historian, Indrajit Sawant, said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took inspiration from Jijau Saheb and Shahaji Maharaj.

"With the inspiration of Jijau Maasaheb and Shahaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj started the establishment of Swaraj from 1642. The name of Samarth Ramdas is nowhere mentioned in the history documents in relation to Shivaji Maharaj during the period 1642 to 1672. So it is not true that Samarth Ramdas asked the youths to go to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to support him,’’ he explained.

He further said that it is wrong for him (referring to the top politician) to speak on the basis of a narrative.

He also recalled that earlier, former Maharashtra Governor B.S. Koshyari had stoked controversy after he claimed that Samarth Ramdas was the ‘guru’ of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"Who would have asked about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had there not been Samarth Ramdas?" Koshyari had said.

Moreover, the Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha group, also criticised the remarks on Friday made by the top leader and asked him to reveal where and when the meeting between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas took place.

"He should first read Maharashtra's history and also the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and then make statements based on those historical records," said Sambhaji Brigade.