MUMBAI, April 27 -- Self-styled spiritual preacher Dhirendra Shastri, chief of the Bageshwar Dham temple in Madhya Pradesh, has tendered an apology for his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji, stating that his comments should not be misinterpreted. The apology comes amid a growing row, with leaders from both the opposition and the ruling alliance continuing to condemn his recent statement on the 17th-century Maratha king. The 29-year-old Shastri, at an RSS event on Saturday, had cited a meeting between Shivaji and 17th-century Marathi saint Samarth Ramdas, where the king expressed a desire to renounce his responsibilities and offered his crown as a symbolic gesture. Samarth Ramdas then placed the crown back on his head and asked him to continue to preside over his kingdom. After the narration of this story, political and social organisations staged protests across Maharashtra. While Congress party workers rallied in Amaravati, activists of Maratha organisation Sambhaji Brigade protested in Nagpur and others in Solapur and Shirdi. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal and others criticised Shastri, while Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Bhosale from Kolhapur demanded a ban on his events in the state. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the Hindu Hruday Samrat. To explain how he respected his guru, I narrated a story in my own way. I had no intention whatsoever of disrespecting him. If my words have hurt anyone, I sincerely apologise. However, my statement should not be misinterpreted," Shastri said in his clarification. Sambhaji Raje Bhosale, a descendant of Shivaji, who the BJP has nominated to the Rajya Sabha in the past, demanded that the state government ban Shastri's functions in Maharashtra. "People should teach a lesson to the politicians who organise and support Dhirendra Shastri who, without knowing history, speaks on it and tries to mislead people," he said. While also slamming Shastri for a "false statement", Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned why chief minister Devendra Fadnavis or RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had not intervened to correct him. "If someone else had made such a statement against Shivaji Maharaj, the BJP would have taken to the streets for an aggressive protest by now," he said. "When individuals visit Maharashtra and make statements that distort history, they should be corrected and made aware of the sentiments of the people of the state." NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal claimed that there was no proof in history that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Ramdas Swami ever met. "Dhirendra Shastri's statement is a distortion of history and I condemn it," he said. Congress leader Vijay Wadeittwar said that Shastri was not a real sadhu but is a bhondu baba (fake godman). I will give a prize to anyone who abuses him to his face for making a statement against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he said. Dhirendra Shastri has been called out by rationalists in the past for spreading superstition. Recently, he exhorted Hindus to produce four children each and dedicate one to the RSS....