Oxford University Press Apologizes to Descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for Unverified Statements in Book

Publisher Issues Apology After Bombay High Court’s Directive
Kolhapur: Following a directive from the Bombay High Court, Oxford University Press has issued an apology to Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, the 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The apology comes after unverified statements were published in James Lane’s 2003 book, Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India. These statements, which appeared on four pages of the book, had caused widespread offense, leading to protests and even an attack on a history research center in Pune.

The public apology was printed in newspapers by Oxford University Press India on Tuesday. The publisher acknowledged that certain claims on pages 31, 33, 34, and 93 of the book had not been properly verified before being published. The press expressed regret that these controversial sections had not been flagged during the publication process.

Court Action and Legal Proceedings

The issue came to light following a complaint filed by Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale. In response, the Bombay High Court initiated criminal defamation proceedings under Section 500 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) against Saeed Manzar Khan of Oxford University Press India and three other individuals in April 2005. The accused had filed an appeal in the High Court, which was transferred to the Kolhapur bench. On December 17 last year, the High Court heard the petition related to the case.

Oxford’s Response and Recall of the Book

In response to questions from The Times of India, Ruchika Tandon, a representative from Oxford University Press India, clarified that the book in question had been published over two decades ago for a limited time. She added that after concerns were raised about the content, the publisher took immediate action to withdraw the book from the market. Tandon emphasized that Oxford University Press India is committed to cultural sensitivity and carefully considers the context to ensure that its publications are widely respected and appreciated globally.