Maha govt committed to carry on Shivaji''s legacy Thackeray

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    Mumbai, Feb 19 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav
Thackeray on Wednesday expressed his government's resolve to
carry forward the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
    Thackeray visited the Shivneri Fort in Junnar tehsil
of Pune district in the morning to pay tributes to Shivaji
Maharaj on his birth anniversary, and announced Rs 23 crore
assistance for the development of the fort.
    He also said that cases filed against protesters
during the Maratha quota agitation in 2018 will be withdrawn.
    Shivaji Maharaj was born in Shivneri in 1630.
    "The poor and needy feel this is their government.
That is the reason people have come for this 'Shiv Jayanti'
function in large numbers. Our government is committed to
carry forward the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,"
Thackeray said after attending some programmes, including a
'cradle ceremony', and reviewing the fort's development works.
    He said Rs 23 crore have been sanctioned for the
development of the Shivneri Fort.
    Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others also
attended the birth anniversary function of Shivaji Maharaj.
    Thackeray said, "Both myself and Ajit dada (Pawar)
have come together for doing some good constructive work, and
I vow that I will not rest till I achieve the goal."
    On the occasion, the chief minister told Pawar that
they "should have come together long ago".
    Thackeray further said that all steps will be taken to
preserve Chhatrapati Shivaji's forts and memorial.
    "We will ensure that works are not hampered for lack
of funds," he said.
    He also said that cases filed against protesters
during the Maratha quota agitation will be withdrawn.
    The Shiv Sena president earlier took to Twitter to pay
tributes to Shivaji Maharaj, and extended greetings to the
people of the state on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti.
    Though February 19 is the official date of Shiv
Jayanti, the Shiv Sena believes the birth anniversary of
Shivaji Maharaj should be observed as per the Hindu calendar.
    Earlier, state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat and
senior party leader Ashok Chavan, both ministers in the
Thackeray Cabinet, also paid their respects to Shivaji Maharaj
in their Twitter posts.
    NCP president Sharad Pawar also paid tributes to
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and tweeted that his bravery and
administrative excellence is incomparable.
    Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Devendra
Fadnavis extended greetings to the people of the state on the
occasion of Shiv Jayanti.
    "Salutations to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his
birth anniversary," he tweeted. PTI MR
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)