Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse: MVA holds protest; Thackeray, Pawar slam PM, ruling alliance

They slammed the Union and state governments for the collapse, with Uddhav Thackeray calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apology as one 'smacking of arrogance', while Sharad Pawar said the episode was an example of corruption.

Mumbai: Defying denial of police permission, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) staged a massive show of strength on Sunday by marching from Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India in Mumbai from where the opposition alliance gave a call to the people to ensure that BJP “gets out of India”.

MVA leaders including Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar—both former Maharashtra chief ministers, and state Congress President Nana Patole lashed out at the BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) dispensation, holding it responsible for the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji on August 26 at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district.

Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, the Congress MP from Kolhapur, who is a descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji and Chhatrapati Shahu, also joined the protest march.

The MVA rejected the apology tendered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—who had presided over the installation ceremony of the statue on 4 December, 2023, coinciding with the Navy Day celebrations.

The ‘jode mara’ protest (‘hit them with shoes’) started from the Hutatma Smarak, the memorial for those martyred in the 'Samyukta Maharashtra' agitation, and then proceeded to Hinduhrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Chowk and ended at the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj near the Gateway of India.

MVA workers carried a poster which had photos of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and hit it with shoes. Thackeray also joined them.

“Did you notice the arrogance in (Modi's) apology? It smacked of arrogance. One Deputy Chief Minister was smiling,” he said.

"Today anti-Shivaji Maharaj people are holding protests against the MVA. Let them do it. We want to tell them from Gateway of India…get out of India," he said, referring to the BJP.

Asserting that people of Maharashtra will never forgive the insult to Shivaji Maharaj, Thackeray cited incidents of leakages in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the new Parliament House complex in New Delhi.

“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 of Shivaji Maharaj is an insult to the very soul of Maharashtra," he asserted.

Pawar said Shinde has said that the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the Rajkot fort of Malvan collapsed due to the wind. “The statue in front of the Gateway of India has been there for many years, even in many parts of the state, such statues are still standing strong. The incident of the collapse of the statue at Rajkot fort is an example of corruption,” said Pawar.

Patole said much before the Prime Minister, the opposition had sought forgiveness from Shivaji Maharaj for allowing such a "Shiv-drohi" government to come to power. "We have taken a pledge to never let it happen again," he said.