In what could become a major embarrassment for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and draw ire of historians, the civic officials installed a hoarding of Sambhaji, instead of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s, on the occasion of the 384th Shiv Jayanti yesterday. The poster was installed outside the PMC headquarters in Shivajinagar.

Faux pas: The flex bearing Sambhaji’s picture installed outside PMC headquarters, before it was replaced with a poster of Shivaji Maharaj later in the afternoon. Pic/Mohan Patil

The gaffe was discovered by mediapersons, who called up and informed Mayor Chanchala Kodre about it. The error was rectified and a new poster bearing Shivaji’s photo was installed in the afternoon.

When contacted, PMC’s Shivmahotsav chairperson corporator Ravindra Malvadkar tried to cover up the mistake rather than accepting it. “Every year, during Shiv Jayanti, we use statues of other great warriors and freedom fighters alongside that of Shivaji Maharaj, to commemorate their sacrifice. So, installing Sambhaji’s poster wasn’t a mistake. Still the mayor apologised for it and we replaced the poster.” Malvadkar said.

He claimed that the mayor tendered the apology because a few people were trying to politicise the issue. “That’s why we decided to change the poster,” alvadkar said.