Nagpur: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday denied meeting Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, amid reports that two leaders held discussions at the CM’s official residence in Mumbai.
“What’s the reason for a secret meeting with Uddhav Thackeray? We do not have any such subjects to discuss secretly. Even if Uddhav Thackeray wants to meet me, we can meet openly. No such meeting has taken place,” Fadnavis told reporters after taking darshan of Lord Shiv in Trimbakeshwar.
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He said some people are intentionally spreading false news, adding that notices will be sent to such (social media) handles. “Action will be taken against such fake news accounts,” he said.
Earlier, a media house linked to Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) had claimed that Fadnavis and Thackeray met on Wednesday (April 22, 2026) midnight at the Chief Minister’s official residence, ‘Varsha’, in Mumbai.
Replying to a query regarding Dheerendra Shastri’s comments on a historical meeting between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas, the Chief Minister said, “No such example is there in the history which we have learnt or the books available.” “There is no historical evidence supporting such claims,” he added.
Shastri reportedly claimed that during the meeting, Shivaji Maharaj told Samarth Ramdas that he wanted to renounce responsibilities and warfare and offered his crown. In reply, Samarth Ramdas again kept the crown on Shivaji Maharaj’s head and told him to look after his kingdom.
Noting that stories about great personalities often evolve differently over time, Fadnavis cited the examples of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, saying various folk versions exist in different regions.
He said people should avoid unnecessary controversy and react responsibly. “People should understand things properly before reacting. Creating unnecessary chaos is not right,” he said.
Samarth Ramdas, a 17th-century saint-poet, launched a spiritual movement to revive religion and spirituality among various sections of society. A section of people believes that he was the spiritual guru of Shivaji Maharaj, a claim refuted by some historians.
Queried about Shastri’s reported remarks that people should give birth to four children and dedicate one of them to RSS, Fadnavis said, “Many people express their views, and we should take it in the right context”.
“What he (Shastri) meant was since the RSS is working to keep the Hindu culture and Sanatan traditional alive, one son of a house should join the Sangh,” Fadnavis said.
Shastri made these purported comments at a foundation stone-laying ceremony in Nagpur a day before.
Fadnavis also said the State Government’s ongoing work related to the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Nashik was progressing satisfactorily but needed to be accelerated.
He said the frequency and number of coordination meetings with religious leaders and akharas should be increased, adding that preparations are underway for river rejuvenation and water conservation initiatives linked with cultural awareness.
