The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) singled out the ruling BJP in the state and at the Centre for a vicious attack over the collapse of the 35-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on Sunday, as it took out morcha from Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India for “insulting” great Maratha king and indulging in “corruption” over his name.
A large number of workers from the three constituents of the MVA – Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena – had turned out for the "Jode Maro" morcha organised to protest against the manner in which the imposing statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji crashed at Malvan’s Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg district on August 26.The morcha was led by NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, State Congress president Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
It may be recalled that the iconic Shivaji statue at 12.30 pm on August 26 at Rajkot fort at Malvan in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, within nine months after it was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023 as part of the Navy day celebrations.
After paying tributes to the martyrs at Hutatma Chowk ( known earlier as Flora Fountain) in downtown south Mumbai, the protesters marched to the Gateway of India, where the they paid homage to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Speaking on the occasion, Sharad Pawar took a serious exception to chief minister Eknath Shinde’s claim that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at the Rajkot fort fell due to strong winds. “If what Shinde is saying is true, how come that Shivaji statue installed in front of Gateway of India had stood firm for years on end. So was the case with numerous statues of Shivaji installed across the country”.
“The collapse of Shivaji statue at Rajkot in Sindhudurg district statue falling on the Rajkot fort reeks of corruption. The incident is a huge insult to revered Maratha king. It has shocked hundreds and thousands of devotees of Shivaji across the country,” Pawar said. Coming down heavily on the BJP-led MahaYuti government and Narendra Modi governments, Patole said: “The ruling BJP has committed the sin of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by indulging in corruption and taking commissions even for a project in his name. Keeping in mind the State Assembly polls to be held later this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar have tendered an apology over the incident. For the sin committed is unforgivable. There cannot be any forgiveness for this kind of an incident”.
Patole charged that the BJP had displayed Peshwa mentality which “is to seek votes in Shivaji Maharaj's name and then insult him once in power”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the collapse of Chhatrapati's statue had enraged Shivaji's devotees nationwide. “Though Prime Minister apologized, there was arrogance on his face even while offering the apology, which is unacceptable”
“Was the apology for the collapse of the statue or for the corruption involved, or to cover up the corruption? The public will not forgive those who insulted Maharaj,” Uddhav said, as he exhorted the people across the state not to rest ‘until these traitors to Shivaji are expelled from India," Uddhav asked.
Congress MP from Kolhapur Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj – who is the 12th direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj – said: “The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue infuriated the people across the state. This is an insult to both Maharaj and Maharashtra, and those responsible should not be forgiven. Action must be taken against those found guilty, and steps must be taken to ensure the honor of Shivaji Maharaj is upheld.
Apart from Pawar, Patole, Uddhav and Shrimant Shahu Maharaj, Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad, CWC member Chandrakant Handore, CWC member and state working president Naseem Khan, MP Sanjay Raut, MP Supriya Sule, Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe, Anil Deshmukh, Aditya Thackeray were present in the morcha.
