Shivaji statue: BJP holds protests; MVA politicising issue, says Bawankule

The BJP on Sunday staged protests across Maharashtra against the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for allegedly politicising the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg.

The statue of the 17th century Maratha warrior king at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil fell on August 26. It was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4, 2023, on the occasion of Navy Day. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Bawankule, while taking part in a protest here, said PM Modi had apologised to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as well as the legendary warrior-king's followers in connection with the collapse. "Despite his apology, the MVA is politicising the issue for vote bank politics. The MVA is trying to spread anarchy in the state ahead of the assembly polls," Bawankule said. During his address in Palghar on Friday, PM Modi had said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king but a deity.

"Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity," he had said with regard to the statue collapse. BJP party workers held protests in Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajianagar and other parts of the state, targeting the MVA. Earlier in the day, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress, held a protest march from the iconic Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India in south Mumbai. MVA leaders slammed the Union and state governments for the collapse, with Uddhav Thackeray calling PM Modi's apology as one "smacking of arrogance", while Sharad Pawar said the episode was an example of corruption.