Eight months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration, the 35-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj collapsed on Monday, sparking a war of words between the government and the opposition. The statue, built by the Indian Navy at a budget of Rs 2.36 crore, has prompted the Navy to express serious concerns. A team has been sent to investigate the cause of the collapse and manage repair work.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has blamed “strong winds” for the collapse and has promised to rebuild the structure. A case has been filed against Jaydeep Apte, owner of M/s Artistry, and structural consultant Chetan Patil. Both individuals are involved in the statue project in Sindhudurg.
What did the Indian Navy say?
The Indian Navy has described the collapse of the statue as unfortunate and announced that a team has been assigned to investigate the cause of the incident. In a statement issued late in the evening, the Navy also confirmed that it will take immediate steps to restore and reinstall the statue.
“The Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj which was unveiled on Navy Day on 4th December 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg.
“Along with the State Government and concerned specialists, the Navy has sent a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstall the statue at the earliest,” PTI quoted the Navy as saying.
VIDEO | A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, inaugurated at a fort in the coastal district of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra just eight months ago, collapsed yesterday.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) image.twitter.com/CA8e2X9CSP— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 27, 2024
The opposition intensifies criticism
Opposition parties have stepped up their criticism of the Mahayuti coalition government in Maharashtra and the BJP over the alleged shoddy construction of the statue and the hasty inauguration ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray did not hold back in his criticism of the Shinde-led government.
“The Shivaji Maharaj memorial at Rajkot Fort was completed in a hurry, keeping in view the Lok Sabha elections. The responsibility for this incident lies solely with the Shinde government, which prioritises contractors over the work itself. The same arrogance was behind the hasty completion of the Shivaji Maharaj statue,” he said.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Shiv Sena (UBT), questioned the extent of corruption involved in the award of the contract, involving significant misuse of funds.
“Who was the contractor? Is it correct that the work was given to a Thane-based contractor? What action will be taken against the contractor? How much ‘khoke’ did the contractor give to the ‘khoke Sarkar’?” Priyanka Chaturvedi posted a list of questions on social media platform X.
Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to the incident. In a social media post on ‘X’, Owaisi wrote, “The 35-foot Shivaji statue inaugurated by @narendramodi collapsed today. It is a reflection of the poor quality of infrastructure built by the Modi sarkar. Shivaji was a symbol of equality and secularism, the collapse of his statue is an example of @narendramodi’s lack of commitment to Shivaji’s vision.”
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