Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday dubbed as "childish" and unworthy of a response Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray's questions on the authenticity of the 'wagh nakh', the fabled tiger claw-shaped weapon of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Fadnavis also said the (undivided) "Shiv Sena" had a history of asking such "insulting" questions and alleged its leader Sanjay Raut had once questioned the lineage of the legendary warrior king.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Thackeray had asked if the 'wagh nakh' being brought to Maharashtra from a museum in United Kingdom would stay here permanently or was it on loan and whether it belonged to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or was it from that era.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cleanliness event here on Sunday, Fadnavis said, "Shiv Sena has a history of raising such insulting questions. (Rajya Sabha MP) Sanjay Raut had once questioned the lineage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as well. Thackeray’s question is childish. I do not want to respond to it." State culture minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and officials from his department are slated to go to the UK on October 3 to get the revered weapon back.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.