MUMBAI: In a bid to bring the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s tiger claw – Waghnakh in India, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is set to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Brittan’s Victoria and Albert Museum on October 3 in London.
Maharashtra Cultural Affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is in London for his three-day- tour. He said, on the 350th coronation year of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, they are very proud to go to London to sign an agreement to bring the tiger claw — Vaghankhe to Chhatrapati Shivaji lovers to India.
“Our government is working to bring the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj day’s where everyone will live happily without any trouble and woes. We are committed to the welfare state. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a revered figure and adored like a god. He is our inspiration and we follow his ideology. We are working under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi at the Center and CM Eknath Shinde to bring to Shivaji Maharaj’s desire rule,” minister said adding the story of Shivaji’s triumph over Afzal Khan is legendary, so we are delighted that the ‘Tiger Claws’ will return to India as part of the 350th anniversary events where they can be enjoyed as part of the celebrations.
Maharashtra initiated on April 15 of this year correspondence with the Victoria & Albert Museum in a meeting with British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, Alan Gammell, along with Mrs. Imogen Stone, Deputy Head of Political and Bilateral Relations of Britain, in Mumbai. Victoria and Albert Museum has agreed to give it to the state for three years. Once it is brought back, the bagh nakh is set to be displayed at the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum in Satara, Central Museum in Nagpur, Kolhapur and Mumbai.
In this meeting, the decision was taken to bring back the tiger claw that was used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill the Sultan of Vijapur, Afzal Khan at Pratap Fort. According to reports, the claws then came into the possession of James Grant Duff, an officer of the East India Company and were then gifted to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Opposition parties alleged that BJP is using Chhatrapati Shivaj Maharaj’s tiger claw to do politics ahead of the key elections in 2024. Aditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena leader also questioned the tiger claw that belongs to Chhatrapati Shivaji or his medieval (Shiv) period.
