During a recent public address, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray invoked the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to comment on the current treatment of student protesters. Thackeray highlighted the early achievements of Shivaji Maharaj, noting that he captured the Torna Fort at the age of 17. He suggested that if Shivaji Maharaj were a young person today, he would fall into the 'Gen Z' demographic.

Thackeray criticized the current political discourse surrounding student activism, arguing that the younger generation is being unfairly maligned. He claimed that while Gen Z protesters are currently being labeled as 'cockroaches' by their detractors, historical figures like Shivaji Maharaj were similarly belittled by the Mughal Empire, which he stated referred to the warrior as a 'rat.' By drawing this comparison, Thackeray aimed to defend the legitimacy of modern student movements by framing them within the context of a historical struggle against perceived oppression. The remarks were intended to highlight a pattern of authorities dismissing or dehumanizing youth-led resistance throughout history.