Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 1: With the state Assembly elections round the corner, the opposition three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has seized the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in coastal Sindhudurg district on August 26 with both hands to tear into the alleged corruption in the Mahayuti government led by Eknath Shinde and rejected the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s apology for the collapse of the statue stating that it smacked “arrogance.”
The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray led the MVA MVA) in a march from the iconic Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India in south Mumbai on Sunday criticising both Union and State governments led by the BJP with allegations of corruption. Hutatma Chowk is a memorial for the martyrs of the ‘Samyukta Maharashtra’ movement.
Tearing into the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra over the collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed that Mr Modi’s apology at a public gathering in Palghar on Friday on the statue collapse “smacked of arrogance” and added that the people of the state had rejected it. The collapse of the statue sparked a heated political confrontation between the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition MVA in the State.
The 35-foot statue of the Maratha empire founder was unveiled by the Prime Minister at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan tehsil on Navy Day (December 4) last year. During his visit to Maharashtra on August 30, Mr Modi described Shivaji Maharaj as more than just a king but a deity. He had said, “For me, my colleagues, and everyone, Shivaji Maharaj is not just a king but a revered figure… Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity.”
Mr Thackeray, addressing the crowd at the Gateway of India, where the march concluded, labelled Mr Modi’s apology as ‘arrogant,’ while Mr Pawar cited the statue’s collapse as a symbol of corruption. “Did you sense the arrogance in Mr Modi’s apology? One Deputy Chief Minister was even smiling… This mistake cannot be forgiven. We are here today at the Gateway of India to demand ‘BJP get out of India’,” the Sena (UBT) leader said.
“For what was the Prime Minister apologising? For the statue, he inaugurated eight months ago? For the corruption involved? The MVA cadre must work together to defeat the forces that have insulted Shivaji Maharaj. The collapse of the statue is an insult to the soul of Maharashtra,” he said.
Thackeray said the people of Maharashtra would never forgive the insult to the legendary warrior king. He mocked Mr Modi’s ‘guarantees,’ pointing to the statue collapse, leaks in the Ram Temple, and issues with the new Parliament complex as examples of failure.
“How many times you [Mr Modi] are going to apologise, and for how many incidents? The collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan, leaks at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, issues at Delhi airport, Parliament — where does it end? Instead of repeatedly apologising, as the President of India said, ‘Enough is enough…,” Mr Thackeray said.
Mr Thackeray, along with other leaders was seen symbolically striking a poster of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar with footwear. The NCP patriarch said the statue’s collapse was a clear example of corruption and an insult to all Shivaji Maharaj’s followers. “It is an insult to all Shiv premis,” Mr Pawar said, who briefly joined the march on foot before continuing in his vehicle.
The former Chief Ministers were joined by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nana Patole, Baramati MP Supriya Sule, former Minister Aaditya Thackeray, Mumbai North Central MP Varsha Gaikwad, and other leaders from the MVA, who began the march by laying wreaths at Hutatma Chowk. Kolhapur Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, stressed the importance of upholding the emperor’s dignity, while Mr Patole criticised the Prime Minister’s apology, accusing him of political manoeuvring ahead of State elections.
The streets around Hutatma Chowk/Flora Fountain echoed with slogans such as “Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji,” “Shivdrohana Mafi Nahi” (no forgiveness for Shivaji betrayals), and “Gaddarana jode mara” (beat the traitors with slippers) as protesters raised their voices against the government amid high police protection. The protesters also carried a bust of the warrior king and placards denouncing the statue’s collapse, chanting slogans against the government.
Mr Patole, Maharashtra Congress chief, said the Opposition had sought Shivaji’s forgiveness for allowing such a “Shiv drohi” government to come to power. “We have taken a pledge to never let it happen again,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Shinde slammed Mr Thackeray and accused him of doing politics in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj while emulating the deeds of Aurangzeb and Afzal Khan. “Unfortunately, the Opposition is playing politics despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and I apologising for the ‘painful’ incident,” he said. “People of Maharashtra have shown him [Mr. Thackeray] his place two years ago. You take the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj but deeds are Aurangzebi and Afzal Khani,” Mr Shinde added.
Mr Shinde said Shivaji cannot be a political issue. “This is a matter of identity and faith for us. The incident that happened was unfortunate. The opposition is doing politics on this. Two JCBs were brought to break the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Karnataka, and that statue was uprooted, those who did this should be beaten. Instead of doing this, they (MVA) are protesting here, but the people of Maharashtra are wise, they are watching. In the coming elections, people of Maharashtra will beat them with shoes,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, has said the Opposition was politicising the issue. “For more than 50 years, leaders of the Congress and NCP are insulting Shivaji Maharaj. Indira Gandhi never spoke a word about Shivaji Maharaj from Red Fort, will the Congress apologise? PM Modi has apologised, but Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders are politicising the issue because the polls are approaching.”
The Shivaji statue at Sindhudurg was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just 8 months back. The project was handled by the Navy in coordination with the state government. Police have arrested the structural consultant for the project and its contractor. They have been charged under sections relating to attempt to murder, culpable homicide and act endangering life and safety of others.