Amid backlash over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue nearly nine months after it was unveiled, the Mahayuti alliance-led government in the state on Tuesday vowed to build a bigger structure as Opposition sought Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's resignation over the incident.
The 35-foot statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg on December 4 last year, collapsed on August 26 afternoon.
Deputy Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government has decided to install a bigger statue of the 17th century Maratha warrior king at the same place.
Minister Deepak Kesarkar, who hails from Sindhudurg, proposed a 100-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj at the same location -- Rajkot Fort in Malvan tehsil in the coastal district -- around 480km from Mumbai.
Following an outrage over the collapse of the statue of the revered Maratha figure, the Sindhudurg police also registered a case against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil, both involved in the project, over the statue collapse incident.
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An inquiry was already underway, Fadnavis said.
Navy Apologises
As the opposition targeted the ruling alliance and sought Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's resignation over the incident, the Maharashtra government said the structure was built by the Navy.
The Navy said it has noted with "deep concern" the damage caused to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg.
"Along with the state government and concerned specialists, the Navy has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident and initiate steps to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest," news agency PTI quoted a statement by the naval force issued by its spokesperson in New Delhi.
A Navy official said Navy and Public Works Department (PWD) personnel visited the site of the collapsed statue on Tuesday.
Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis, defending the government over the issue, said the construction of the statue was not overseen by the state.
"The construction of the statue was not overseen by the state government but by the Navy. The individuals responsible for the fabrication and installation of the statue might have overlooked important local factors such as high wind speed and the quality of the iron used. The statue might have become more prone to rust due to its exposure to ocean winds," Fadnavis said
MVA To Take Out Protest March
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance - comprising his party, Congress and the NCP - will take out a march in Mumbai on September 1 to protest against the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue.
Corruption has peaked under the Mahayuti government, said Uddhav Thackeray, slamming Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar for saying that something good might come out of Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse.
Claiming that the statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Malvan fort collapsed due to wind is height of shamelessness, Uddhav Thackeray said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged a scam in the structure's construction, claiming that even Aurangzeb and Mughals did not insult Shivaji Maharaj in such a manner.
"We need the resignation of the chief minister for hurting the feelings of [the people of] Maharashtra. Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Ravindra Chavan should be sacked. They did not even spare Shivaji Maharaj and indulged in corruption," Sanjay Raut said.
The contract to build the statue was given to people close to the chief minister, he said, describing it as a serious issue.
Referring to Shinde's statement that the statue fell as winds were blowing at a speed of 45km per hour, Raut said winds along the coast are bound to be gusty.
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Maharashtra president Jayant Patil termed the collapse as a serious issue and said the government did not take necessary precaution while installing the statue. Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition in the assembly, demanded strict action against the contractor.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the administration for rushing with the statue’s construction, and prioritising electoral gains over quality of work and described the collapse as a grave insult to Shivaji Maharaj.
