BJP MP Pradeep Purohit triggered a major political storm in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session by claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was none other than the legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his past life.

Purohit cited a conversation with a saint who allegedly revealed that PM Modi is the reincarnation of Shivaji Maharaj, destined to lead Maharashtra and India toward prosperity. His statement, however, has sparked massive outrage among opposition leaders and netizens, who slammed the comparison as an insult to the legacy of the revered Maratha king.

Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad strongly reacted, saying, "These people have grossly insulted Shivaji Maharaj by placing the honorable jiretope (crown) of Chhatrapati on Narendra Modi's head. And now, listen to this disgusting statement by a BJP MP."

अखंड हिंदुस्तानाचे आराध्य दैवत आणि रयतेचे राजे छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज यांचा वारंवार अपमान करण्याचे आणि महाराष्ट्रातील तसेच जगभरातील शिवप्रेमींची अस्मिता दुखावण्याचे नियोजनबद्ध कारस्थान भाजपच्या नेतेमंडळींकडून केले जात आहे.

या लोकांनी छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराजांचा मानाचा जिरेटोप… pic.twitter.com/N624xkfkQN

— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) March 17, 2025

नरेंद्र मोदी पिछले जन्म में छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज थे.

: BJP सांसद प्रदीप पुरोहित

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• क्या ये शिवाजी महाराज का अपमान नहीं?
• क्या ये उनकी महानता का अपमान नहीं? pic.twitter.com/sAvOLyrH71

— Ranvijay Singh (@ranvijaylive) March 17, 2025

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also lashed out, posting on social media, "These shameless sycophants of BJP need to be controlled. This comparison of PM Modi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is absolutely unacceptable."

छत्रपति और मोदी के जन्म के बीच के सालों में मोदी कहा थे?? ये भी बताओ जरा...! अक्ल के अट्ठे

— Pranay Raval (@PranayRaval2012) March 17, 2025

Social media erupted with criticism, with users mocking and questioning the logic behind the claim. One user sarcastically asked, "Where was Modi between Shivaji Maharaj's era and his birth? Please explain!" Another wrote, "This is the height of flattery."

This isn’t the first time PM Modi has been likened to historical figures. In 2020, BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal's book Aaj Ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi drew similar controversy. In 2014, BJP MLC Surajnanadan compared Modi to Emperor Ashoka, calling both "nationalists" with visions of Akhand Bharat.

As the backlash intensifies, demands for an apology from the BJP MP continue to grow, with opposition parties condemning what they call a political appropriation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy.