BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday asserted a book at the centre of a raging row does not compare Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and said some political parties are making "a mountain out of a molehill" over the issue.
Mungantiwar accused parties opposing the Hindi book, including the Shiv Sena, of double-speak and said they have no objection when NCP president is called Janata Raja, a title exclusively used for Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra.
The book, "Aaj Ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi", written by BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal, has created a political storm in Maharashtra, where the 17th century warrior-king is a highly revered figure.
The Shiv Sena, the NCP and Congress, part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, have criticised the book for comparing Modi with Shivaji Maharaj, calling it "insulting".
The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has demanded a ban on the book, which was released at Delhi BJP office on Sunday.
Mungantiwar, speaking to News18 Lokmat news channel, defended the contents of the controversial book.
The book does not compare our PM with the 17th century king. Opposition parties are unnecessarily making a mountain out of a molehill.
They are OK when Sharad Pawar is praised as 'Janata Raja', an adjective used to refer Shivaji Maharaj. How can you have double standards? the former Maharashtra minister asked.
Post the 1971 Bangladesh war, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was described as Goddess Durga. The slogan 'India is Indira and Indira is India' was also given.
"At times, adjectives are used as a reference and not for equating a person with a historical figure, he said.
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