Vijay Wadettiwar, the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra State Assembly, criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday regarding the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan.
Commenting on the Prime Minister’s visit to Maharashtra, Wadettiwar stated, “The Prime Minister inaugurated the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue eight months ago, and now it has completely collapsed. The PM is coming to Maharashtra, and when Congress workers are asking for an apology from the PM on the streets for the collapse, they are being arrested.”
He also condemned the state government for arresting Congress leaders in Mumbai, questioning the government’s actions against protestors.
“If our Congress workers are protesting to demand an apology, then what is so wrong with that? Is this democracy? Does this government operate on constitutional principles? If we voice our opinions on the streets, what is so wrong with that? Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is Maharashtra’s pride and honour,” Wadettiwar added.
On Thursday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister announced that the state government is taking swift action to reconstruct the statue, and two committees have been formed to investigate the collapse in the Malvan area. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also visited the site in Malvan where the statue collapsed on August 26.
In a post on X, Ajit Pawar said, “A few days ago, the unfortunate incident involving the statue of the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan occurred. Today, I visited the site and reviewed the situation. I also inspected the fort. Shivaji Maharaj is our self-respect, our identity.”
The statue was unveiled on December 4 last year as part of the Navy Day celebrations held for the first time in Sindhudurg. The event aimed to honour the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in maritime defence and security, and its historical connection with the modern Indian Navy, according to a release from the Defence Ministry.
(With ANI Inputs)
