While addressing an event in Sangli, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, condemning the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Maharashtra. He accused PM Modi of humiliating the legendary 17th-century warrior and criticized his apology for the mishap.
Speaking at a gathering in Sangli, Gandhi slammed PM Modi for handing the statue’s construction contract to an RSS worker. “The statue collapsed just months after its inauguration. This is a blatant affront to Shivaji Maharaj,” the Opposition Leader declared.
Statue Collapse Incident Fuels Maharashtra Election Battle
With Maharashtra’s political landscape heating up ahead of the elections, political parties are ramping up their efforts to outmaneuver each other. Political experts believe that the statue collapse incident adds fuel to the fire in the ongoing battle to sway away voters. Rahul Gandhi’s attack on PM Modi, who is currently in Singapore attending the Business Leader’s Summit, intensifies the already-headed political battle.
Rahul Gandhi Questions PM Modi’s Apology
In a significant move, Rahul Gandhi challenged PM Modi, questioning “If you haven’t done anything wrong, why apologise?” He further alleged that PM Modi’s apology might have come after realizing the corruption in the statue’s construction. The Rae Bareli MP visited Maharashtra to inaugurate a statue of the late Congress leader and confidently declared that Patangrao Kadam ji’s statue erected here will remain standing for 50 to 70 years.
#WATCH | Sangli | On Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse, Congress MP & LoP Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi says, “…I give you a guarantee that Kadam ji’s (late Congress minister Patangrao Kadam) statue installed will be here even after 50-70 years….Shivaji Maharaj’s statue… pic.twitter.com/58HRkT3CEF
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024
Rahul Gandhi demanded PM Modi’s apology, addressing both the people of Maharashtra and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj over the Statue Collapse Incident. Jaydeep Apte, the contractor, and Chetan Patil, the structural consultant, have been taken into police custody in connection with the case. The opposition has claimed that Jaydeep was a close associate of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son.
