On Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his disappointment with the opposition's response to the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district.
He criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for turning the issue into a political one, stating that Shivaji Maharaj represents an identity and faith for the people of Maharashtra, not a subject for political games.
Shinde stressed that the incident, which saw the 35-foot-tall statue collapse after being unveiled less than a year ago, was unfortunate, but politicising it is even more disheartening. He predicted that the people of Maharashtra would reject the opposition's tactics in the upcoming elections.
The MVA, however, sees the situation differently. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut voiced the coalition’s strong discontent, asserting that they would not remain silent after such a significant incident.
He pointed fingers at BJP leaders, including Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, accusing them of masterminding a counter-protest and adding that apologies from the ruling party would not suffice. Raut emphasised that the statue's collapse was a grave matter, especially given Shivaji Maharaj’s revered status in Maharashtra.
Congress leader Bhai Jagtap joined the criticism, questioning the government’s indifference to the incident. He criticised the BJP for organising protests in support of the statue's destruction instead of addressing the issue directly.
Jagtap also questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not visit the site of the statue’s collapse, highlighting the deep emotional connection Maharashtra has with Shivaji Maharaj.
NCP-SCP leader Rajesh Tope echoed these sentiments, describing Shivaji Maharaj as the pride and spirit of Maharashtra. He expressed that the incident had deeply wounded the people of the state and that their protest march was a necessary democratic response. He also criticised the government for denying permission for the march, viewing it as an attempt to stifle democratic expression.
The protest march led by the MVA began from Hutatma Chowk and moved toward the Gateway of India, condemning the collapse of the statue. Meanwhile, the BJP staged a counter-protest in the Dadri area of Mumbai, accusing the MVA of politicising the issue.
The debate over the statue's collapse has clearly drawn sharp lines between the ruling party and the opposition, with each side blaming the other for exploiting the incident for political gain.
Follow us
