OUP apologises over content on Shivaji in 2003 book

Oxford University Press (OUP) India has issued an apology to Udayanraje Bhosale, 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, over certain “unverified statements” made about the Maratha king in a book published more than two decades ago.

In a public notice that appeared in a newspaper on Tuesday, OUP India acknowledged that some statements contained on pages 31, 33, 34 and 93 of the book “Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India”, published in 2003, were unverified.

The book, written by American author James Laine, had triggered a row after more than 150 activists from the Sambhaji Brigade ransacked the renowned Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) on Law College Road in Pune in January 2004, alleging that it helped the writer, who allegedly made objectionable remarks about Shivaji Maharaj in the book.

In the notice, the publisher expressed regret over the publication of those statements and tendered an apology to Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale and to the public at large “for any distress and anguish caused”.

The BJP leader was reacting to Banerjee’s post on X earlier in the day, slamming the Assam Government for “threatening” Bengali-speaking people and alleging that the BJP was pursuing a “divisive agenda”.

Replying to Banerjee’s post, Sarma wrote, “Didi, let me remind you, in Assam, we are not fighting our own people. We are fearlessly resisting the ongoing, unchecked Muslim infiltration from across the border, which has already caused an alarming demographic shift.”

He maintained that in several districts, Hindus are now on the verge of becoming a minority in their own land.

Sarma claimed that this is not a political narrative, but a reality, with the Supreme Court terming such infiltration as external aggression.

“And yet, when we rise to defend our land, culture and identity, you choose to politicise it,” he alleged.

“We do not divide people by language or religion. Assamese, Bangla, Bodo, Hindi — all languages and communities have coexisted here. But no civilisation can survive if it refuses to protect its borders and its cultural foundation,” he said.

Sarma claimed that while the Assam Government is “acting decisively” to preserve the State’s identity, “you, Didi, have compromised Bengal’s future — encouraging illegal encroachment by a particular community, appeasing one religious community for vote banks and remaining silent as border infiltration eats away at national integrity — all just to stay in power.”