Mumbai: Maharashtra’s highest civilian award was finally presented to Marathi writer, historian and playwright Babasaheb Purandare, born Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government’s announcement evoked a political storm and critics called for a review of the decision.

The Bombay High Court, too, paved the way for the Maharashtra Bhushan award to be presented to Purandare, 93, by dismissing a petition that sought a state committee to quash the decision.

The petitioners argued that although several eminent personalities such as social worker Prakash Amte, thespian Dilip Kumar, actor Amitabh Bachchan and singer Asha Bhosle were shortlisted for the award, Purandare’s name was included at the last minute and proper procedure was not followed.

The court said there was no substance in the plea and slapped a Rs10,000 (Dh562) fine on the petitioners, Padmakar Kamble and Rahul Okade, for wasting the court’s time.

The Pune-based writer was presented the award at Raj Bhavan, the official residence-cum-office of the state’s governor, this evening at a grand function attended by former recipients and dignitaries amid tight security.

Security was also tight in several parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra where incidents of violence had occurred in areas dominated by hardline Maratha groups opposing the award for Purandare.

The Maratha hardliners believe Purandare helped American writer James Laine with a controversial book, in which the 17th-century Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji’s parentage is questioned. The National Congress Party has been the main opponent to the government’s decision. The Congress, too, has opposed the choice, with Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil asking for a review based on “allegations against Purandare of distorting history.”

The Shiv Sena supported Purandare and stated in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece Saamna, “Shivaji Maharaj has been used time and again in politics, but one person who truly understood the ideals of Shivaji and instilled them in people all his life is Purandare.”

Purandare’s works are mostly based on the events related to the life of Shivaji and as a result he was called Shiv-Shair or Shavaji’s bard. The writer is well known for his popular play on Shivaji, Jaanta Raja.