Statue collapse an affront to Maharashtra dharma, say MVA leaders at rally

Mumbai: The collapse of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji’s statue in Malvan on August 26 has emerged as a rallying point for the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ahead of the assembly polls even as the state government seems keen on avoiding any confrontation over the emotive issue.

On Sunday, top MVA leaders including NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Udhav Thackeray and state Congress president Nana Patole participated in a rally from Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India demanding strict punishment for those guilty of the collapse. Though the police had initially denied permission for the rally, barricades put up near Kandeel Restaurant enroute the gateway were removed prior to its commencement and no efforts were made to stop marchers.

The ‘Jode Maro Andolan’ (hit with footwear) rally started with MVA leaders paying their respects to martyrs of the statehood movement at the iconic Hutatma Chowk and the statue of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in Colaba. It concluded at the equestrian statue of Shivaji near the gateway, with top MVA leaders making brief speeches and hitting posters of chief minister Eknath Shinde, and his two deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar with chappals.

Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, descendent of the Maratha king and a Congress MP, termed the collapse incident as an insult of Shivaji Maharaj. “The incident is an insult of Maharashtra and its people. We want the guilty to be punished,” he said.

Pawar stepped up the attack on the ruling Mahayuti coalition, saying comments made by its leaders after the incident had further insulted Shivaji.

“CM Shinde said that the statue fell because of the wind. Let me tell you that this statue of Shivaji Maharaj beneath which we have assembled has been standing tall and inspiring us for the last 50 years,” he said, referring to the equestrian statue of Shivaji. There was a general feeling among people that the statue had collapsed because of corruption, he said, adding, “We all have come together to condemn the insult.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray urged the people to kick out the Mahayuti government in the assembly polls. “Whatever is going on in Maharashtra is not politics. Today those who are against the Shivaji Maharaj (the BJP) are holding protests against us. Let them do it. We want to tell them, get out of India,” Thackeray said, referring to protests organised by the BJP at various places in the state to counter MVA’s agitation.

Thackeray also took a dig at prime minister Narendra Modi, who had unveiled the statue on December 4, 2023, over his apology regarding the collapse incident. “Did you notice the arrogance in the apology? And what was the PM apologising for? For the statue he inaugurated eight months ago? Or the corruption involved,” he charged further.

State Congress chief Patole too alleged corruption was behind the collapse incident. “It is not just the statue of Shivaji Maharaj that has collapsed, Maharashtra Dharma has also been trampled upon,” he said. “The prime minister and chief minister have apologised, but this sin is unforgivable. Asking for votes in the name of Shivaji Maharaj in the state and the country and insulting him when in power reflects the BJP’s Peshwa attitude,” he said.

With inputs from Saurabha Kulshreshtha