Pune: After Backlash Over Comments on Shivaji Maharaj, Actor Rahul Solapurkar Faces Criticism for Controversial Remarks on Dr B.R. Ambedkar
Pune, 10th February 2025: Senior actor and lecturer Rahul Solapurkar is facing increasing trouble over controversial statements about Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. A complaint has been filed against him at a police station in Pune, with the Sambhaji Brigade demanding that an atrocity case be registered against him.
The Sambhaji Brigade lodged a complaint at Parvati Police Station in Pune, calling for Solapurkar’s immediate arrest and the filing of an atrocity case. However, the police have not yet taken further action.
Solapurkar had recently made controversial statements about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a podcast, sparking outrage across the state. Now, fresh allegations have surfaced regarding similar remarks about Dr B.R. Ambedkar, drawing further criticism.
Regarding Shivaji Maharaj, Solapurkar claimed that the king had bribed the Mughal army for his release while in Agra. As for Dr Ambedkar, he cited an example related to the Vedas, stating that a person becomes a Brahmin or Kshatriya by their actions, not by birth, and according to this logic, Dr Ambedkar would be considered a Brahmin.
People are demanding Solapurkar’s arrest and immediate legal action, arguing that he has misrepresented both historical figures. Supporters of Shiv Sena and Ambedkarite groups have also protested outside his residence in Pune.
In response to the growing backlash, Solapurkar issued a video apology, stating that he did not intend to defame these great personalities.
Despite the apology, critics such as Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad have accused Solapurkar of deliberately making such statements to incite division in society. Satara MP and descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Udayanraje Bhosale, has also strongly condemned Solapurkar’s remarks about Shivaji Maharaj.
The controversy continues to escalate, with various groups and individuals calling for action against the actor over his remarks about these revered historical figures.
