After the row over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s statue at Rajkot Fort snowballed into a major controversy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday apologised to the great Maratha ruler and all those who were hurt by the unfortunate incident. Expressing his feeling Modi said in Palghar, “The moment I landed here, I first apologised to Shivaji over the statue collapse. I also apologise to the people who were hurt by the collapse.” He added further, “Those who consider Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as their deity and have been deeply hurt, I bow my head and apologise to them. Our values are different. For us, nothing is bigger than our deity.”
महाराष्ट्र की धरती पर आते ही आज मैंने सबसे पहले मेरे आराध्य देव छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज के चरणों में सिर झुकाकर क्षमा मांगी। पिछले दिनों सिंधुदुर्ग में जो हुआ, उसके लिए मैं उनसे भी क्षमा मांगता हूं, जो छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज को पूजते हैं। pic.twitter.com/WKOREc3VYz
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 30, 2024
Arrest Over Collapse Of Shivaji’s Statue
A structural consultant was arrested on Friday in connection with the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district. The statue, a 35-foot-tall tribute to the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, collapsed less than nine months after its unveiling, sparking a political controversy as Maharashtra heads towards elections. Chetan Patil, the consultant named in the case, was apprehended by a joint team of the Kolhapur crime branch and Malvan police early in the morning and placed in custody. The collapse, which occurred on August 26, has prompted an investigation by the state government to determine the cause and has led to public protests.
Consultant Arrested
The incident took place at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, where the statue of Shivaji Maharaj had been installed with much fanfare. The statue collapsed around 1 p.m. on Monday, shocking the local community and sparking widespread concern across the state. The project was initially overseen by the Indian Navy in collaboration with the Maharashtra government, with funding provided by the state.
Chetan Patil, a resident of Kolhapur, was arrested after being named in the FIR related to the statue’s collapse. Patil, however, denied being the structural consultant for the statue itself, claiming that his role was limited to the construction of the platform on which the statue stood. He stated that a company based in Thane was responsible for the statue’s structural work. Despite his denial, Patil was taken into custody and is now being held by Malvan police.
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Political Uproar Erupts Over Statue Collapse
The collapse of the statue has triggered a significant political storm in Maharashtra, with various political parties responding to the incident. The Eknath Shinde-led state government quickly formed a technical committee to investigate the cause of the collapse. The government emphasized that the project had been handled by the Indian Navy, which played a key role in conceptualizing and executing the installation. The Navy, in a statement, reaffirmed its commitment to assisting in efforts to repair, restore, and reinstall the statue as soon as possible.
The incident has also led to protests from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar leading silent demonstrations across the state. The NCP and other opposition parties have criticized the government’s handling of the situation, urging accountability and swift action.
CM Shinde Vows To Rebuild Statue
In response to the political backlash, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed deep regret over the incident. He assured the public that the government is taking the matter seriously and is committed to rebuilding the statue. Shinde even stated that he would apologize 100 times if necessary, placing his head at the feet of the Maratha warrior king as a mark of respect. He urged opposition parties to refrain from politicizing the issue and promised that the statue would be rebuilt on a ‘war footing.’
The state government has formed two committees: one to investigate the collapse and the other to expedite the reconstruction of the statue. Shinde assured that efforts are underway to ensure that a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will stand tall once again at Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg.
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