Union Minister CR Patil's assertion that 17th-century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a Patidar has ignited controversy in Maharashtra. Patil, speaking at a public event, praised the Patidar community and stated Shivaji Maharaj belonged to it. This claim was met with sharp criticism from opposition parties in Maharashtra, who revere Shivaji Maharaj as a Maratha ruler from the Bhonsle clan. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called the statement an insult to the state and Marathi people, while NCP president Ajit Pawar asserted Shivaji Maharaj belonged to the Bhonsle dynasty.