Mumbai: The collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district has led to a political blame game.
The statue, erected at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg’s Malvan, was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4 last year on the occasion of Navy Day.
Sindhudurg has been at the receiving end of heavy rainfall and gusty winds during the last 2-3 days.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde blamed the collapse of statue due to strong winds.
“We have our emotions attached to him (Shivaji Maharaj). We worship him like God. The statue collapsed due to strong winds. It’s unfortunate. Our minister has gone there and is inspecting the situation,” said Shinde.
Opposition parties, on the other hand, hit out at the Maharashtra government.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik, who visited the site, alleged that the statue collapsed due to shoddy work.
“The state government may try to evade responsibility. People responsible for the construction and erection of the statue must be probed thoroughly,” he said.
NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil also blamed the state Shinde-helmed government.
“The state government is responsible for the collapse, as it did not take proper care. The government paid little attention to the quality of work. It only focused on conducting an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to unveil the statue,” Patil said.
“This Maharashtra government only issues new tenders, accepts commissions and gives contracts accordingly,” he claimed.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raised the question whether action has been taken against the contractor responsible for its construction.
“The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj erected at Sindhudurg collapsed today. Modi Ji had inaugurated the structure in December last year. 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’ (bribe) did the contractor pass on to the ‘khoke sarkar’?” Chaturvedi posted on X.
Responding to allegations of the Opposition, state minister Deepak Kesarkar said the Maharashtra government was committed to erecting a new statue at the same spot and asserted that the issue would be addressed ‘promptly and effectively’.
“I don’t have all the details but it’s important to note that PWD minister Ravindra Chavan, also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district, has said a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter,” Kesarkar said.
“We are committed to erecting a new statue at the same location. This statue, unveiled by PM Modi, pays tribute to Shivaji Maharaj’s visionary efforts in building a sea fort. We will take all necessary steps to address this matter promptly and effectively,” he added.
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