Opposition leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) organized a protest march on Sunday from Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India in south Mumbai. The demonstration was held in response to the recent collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district.
The statue, situated at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil, approximately 480 kilometers from Mumbai, fell on August 26. It had been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, during Navy Day celebrations. Leaders of the MVA criticized both the Union and state governments for the incident.
Uddhav Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), criticized Prime Minister Modi’s apology as “arrogant.” Thackeray also denounced the incident as a manifestation of systemic corruption. Addressing supporters at Gateway of India, Thackeray condemned the government’s response and said, “The apology from the Prime Minister smacked of arrogance. People of Maharashtra will not forgive this insult to our legendary warrior king.” He also referenced other controversies involving the Modi administration, including issues related to the Ram Temple and the new Parliament complex.
Sharad Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), echoed Thackeray’s sentiments, calling the collapse of the statue a clear example of corruption and an affront to Shivaji Maharaj’s followers. During his address, Pawar emphasized the need to uphold the dignity of the Maratha king and criticized the handling of the situation by the current government.
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Kolhapur Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, also participated in the march, stressing the importance of maintaining the emperor’s dignity. The protest, which began around 11 am, featured a bust of Shivaji Maharaj at Hutatma Chowk and placards denouncing the statue’s collapse. Participants, including NCP (SP) Baramati MP Supriya Sule and MLA Anil Deshmukh, chanted slogans against the Eknath Shinde government.
PM Modi had previously described Shivaji Maharaj as a deity and apologized for the incident during a speech in Palghar on Friday. The protest march culminated at Gateway of India, where the leaders voiced their grievances against the administration’s handling of the matter.
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