Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Chhatrapati Shivaji gave paramount importance to upholding the unity and integrity of India and that the reflection of his thoughts can be seen in the vision of the Centre's "Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat" initiative.

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In a virtual address on the occasion of the 350th year of Shivaji's coronation day, Modi said that the Maratha ruler sent out a strong message to those who tried to hurt Swaraj, religion, culture and heritage, which boosted confidence among the people and propagated the spirit of self-reliance.

The prime minister further added that this resulted in boosting respect for the nation. "Be it farmer welfare, women empowerment, or making governance accessible to the common man, his system of governance and his policies are equally relevant even today," Modi noted.

Highlighting the motivational nature of Shivaji, the Prime Minister remarked that one can imagine the confidence levels of the country at the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

He claimed that during Shivaji's time, the confidence of citizens was at its lowest due to hundreds of years of slavery where invasions and exploitation by invaders coupled with poverty, had made the society weak. Incidentally during the 17th century, the nation was under Mughal dynasty's rule and was an economic and military power.

"An attempt was made to break the morale of the people by attacking our cultural centres," Modi added, highlighting that Shivaji not only fought the invaders but also instilled the belief in the public that self-governance is a possibility. "Shivaji Maharaj inspired people for nation-building by ending the mentality of slavery," he claimed further.

He pointed out that there have been many rulers in history who were known for their dominance in military, but their administrative ability was weak.

Similarly there were many rulers who were known for their excellent governance, but their military leadership was weak. However, Modi said that the personality of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was magnificent as he established 'Swaraj' as well as 'Suraj'.