Mumbai, July 12 (IANS) Expressing happiness over the UNESCO tag for 12 forts, including 11 from Maharashtra and one from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray on Saturday asked the state government to demolish illegal structures near the historical sites, irrespective of the religion and caste of encroachers.

Raj Thackeray, in his post on social media platform X, said, “The government should not just celebrate this but also acknowledge the responsibility. Firstly, the government should demolish all the unauthorised constructions on these forts immediately, regardless of the religion or caste of the encroachers.”

“UNESCO has given the status of World Heritage Sites to 12 forts built by Maharashtra’s beloved deity Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This is a matter of great joy. On this occasion, those who talk about Maharashtra’s achievements will know how far the idea of Swarajya instilled by Maharaj had reached and will also know how old and strong the bridge between two languages and cultures is,” said Raj Thackeray.

He pointed out that UNESCO’s criteria for the conservation and renovation of World Heritage sites are strict, which, if not followed, may lead to the withdrawal of the tag.

“If the criteria are not followed properly, the status gets withdrawn. So far, there have been two such examples in the world. One example is the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman, and the other one is the Dresden Valley in Germany. The Dresden Valley got the World Heritage status, but it was taken away in 2009 due to non-compliance with the criteria,” the MNS leader said.

He shared that now the state government will receive funds for the conservation of these forts, and stated the state should also allocate some more funds for it.

“Every single government in the past had left these forts in a state of disrepair, making it impossible to invite the world to visit them and show them the glory of our Maharaj and Maharashtra. I hope that this will change now. I have been saying this for many years that if we preserve the forts built by the Maharaj and preserve the coastline Maharashtra has been blessed with, and if we make the necessary infrastructure available for tourism, the state’s economy will truly soar. Anyway,” his post read.

Meanwhile, NCP(SP) president Sharad Pawar shared Raj Thackeray’s suggestion on preservation and conservation of these forts, saying, “Against the backdrop of this honour comes a responsibility for all of us: the preservation, conservation, and respectful maintenance of these forts. If we are to keep history alive, it must be brought to life not only in memory but also in action. For without conservation, heritage merely remains a memory.”

In his post on X, Pawar said, “The news of the inclusion of 12 forts, including 11 from Maharashtra and the ‘Jinji’ fort in Tamil Nadu, which bear witness to Maharashtra’s pride and the saga of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s valour, in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, ignites a spark of pride in the heart of every Shivaji enthusiast. This is not merely a historical honour, but a mark of glory that underscores the global significance of the forts that stand as witnesses to our Swarajya. Now, Chhatrapati’s history will not remain confined to our textbooks but will become a subject of global study.”

“Heartfelt thanks to the Government of India, the Archaeological Department, and history scholars for this historic achievement,” Pawar added.

–IANS

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