'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' same principle that Mahadji Shinde followed: Scindia
New Delhi, Feb 12: Remembering his ancestor 'the Grand Maratha Mahadji Shinde' on the 251st anniversary of his reconquer of Delhi, Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' that Prime Minister talks of today was the same principle that Mahadji had followed.
"Mahadji can be termed as the pioneer of coalition government as he brought together the Gujar, Jat, Dalit, Sikh and Muslims all under the banner of Hindavi Swaraj and the name of the army was 'Hind Ki Fauz'," Scindia said.
Mahadji had a special 'Decxan Invincibles' brigade that had advisors from France and Portugal, the Union Minister said while recounting how Mahadji "favoured modernisation of arms and artillery" as he was determined to face the Britishers who could not be fought just with 'talwar and dhaal' (swords and shields).
"He even started an industrial unit on the outskirts of Agra where he started a tank manufacturing unit. Army modernisation, Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, all that we talk of today, Mahadji Shinde had laid the foundation in 1771," Scindia said at a programme organised to mark the 251st anniversary of the Mahadji Shinde's take over of the then Mughal ruled Delhi.
The programme was jointly organised by 'Dilli Marathi Pratishthan', a socio-cultural organisation, with 'Rambhau Mhalgi Pratishthan', an organisation based in Thane, working for improving civic governance. Held at Maharashtra Sadan in the national capital, the programme was watched live by over 10,000 people on multiple social media platforms managed by Vayam.
Recalling how Mahadji had been single handedly responsible for expansion of the Hindavi Swaraj 'Attock Se Cuttack Tak' (from Attock in present day Pakistan to Cuttack in Odisha), Scindia said, "I am not just emotional as I come from the family of this great personality but feel pride that he has shaped a glorious chapter in the history of India."
Rajya Sabha member Vinay Sahastrabuddhe, who also heads the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) said, "Gen Lake (who led the British forces in 1803 Battle of Patparganj) had mentioned in his diary that Britishers had taken over India from the Marathas and not from any Mughal rulers."
Earlier, explaining 'Dilli Vijayotsav', Vaibhav Dange of Dilli Marathi Pratisthan, said, "Unfortunately, people remember the tragic defeat at the 1761 Battle of Panipat. But within 10 years of that, Mahadji Shinde, a Maratha sardar, had gathered force and reconquered Delhi. What we need to do is to revisit history again and again as we believe, a society that learns from history can create a bright future."