Nagpur: Raje Mudhoji Bhonsle, a descendant of Nagpur’s royal family, on Tuesday spearheaded a protest at Azad Maidan over the reported removal of Maratha Empire expansion map from an NCERT Class 8 textbook. He met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to press for its restoration. Hundreds of followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj participated in the demonstration, raising concerns over what organisers termed an attempt to dilute an important chapter of Maratha history from school education. Bhonsle said Maharashtra’s historical legacy should not be altered without due consultation with experts on Maratha history.Minister of state Pankaj Bhoyar held discussions with demonstrators at the venue. Later, Bhoyar facilitated a meeting between a delegation led by Bhonsle and Fadnavis.As per the protesters, the CM said the matter would be taken up with the Centre and NCERT . The protesters warned of intense agitation and pursuing legal remedies if the decision was not reconsidered. No official statement was available from NCERT.
