Need to build 100-feet-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: Maharashtra minister's damage control after Sindhudurg incident

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj`s statue installed at Rajkot Fort in Malvan/ CMO

After a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg collapsed on Monday, Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar expressed sadness over the incident and suggested that a new 100-foot-tall statue should be constructed in its place, news agency ANI reported. He mentioned plans to discuss the proposal with the Chief Minister (CM) and Deputy CM, indicating that estimates for the new statue were already being prepared.

Kesarkar stated, "I haven't been there yet, but I must say that this statue was originally constructed by the Navy to honour Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who they recognise as the first naval king. While it's unfortunate that the statue has collapsed, there are now opportunities for positive developments. The local community has been calling for a 100-foot statue to be built here. I will discuss this with the CM and Deputy CM, and we have the estimates ready."

He further added, "If the statue has fallen, then a 100-foot-tall statue should be constructed in its place. This is what I feel."

The Indian Navy also expressed deep concern over the damage to the statue, which had been unveiled on Navy Day, December 4, 2023, as a tribute to the citizens of Sindhudurg.

"Indian Navy notes with deep concern the damage caused this morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on December 3, 2023, 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: Indian Navy," news agency ANI reported.

The collapse of the statue has sparked widespread criticism.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who had supported the ruling state alliance for the Lok Sabha elections, said, the incident is "heart-wrenching".

"The news of the collapse of the full-length statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan is heart-wrenching. How come the statue of Maharashtra's adorable deity, that too constructed only eight months ago, collapsed like this? The statue was unveiled by the Prime Minister. After today's incident, I remembered Kusumagraja's poem on 'Five statues' in the city," he wrote in a tweet in Marathi with the verses of the poem.

"Statues, monuments are only political convenience for us. I have said many times in the past that the real memorial of Maharaj is not some grand statue, but his forts. People should destroy this system of politicising symbols. And only if that happens, we can say that we are living in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Maharashtra," he added.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Sena legislator Aaditya Thackeray blamed the incident on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "arrogance", asserting that the construction of the statue was rushed for political gain. Thackeray voiced his concerns on social media, saying, "We will never tolerate the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who is revered by all of Maharashtra. The memorial in Malvan, built hastily with elections in mind and inaugurated by Modi ji, collapsed within just eight months. The government's contractor-driven approach is to blame, but even more concerning is the BJP's mentality. Their arrogance led to the memorial being constructed without due seriousness. The aim was to exploit the Maharaja's image, disregarding the quality of the memorial and ignoring local voices."

Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar called for a detailed investigation into the incident. He criticized the government, stating, "This is the state of Chhatrapati's statue after just eight months. This incident must be thoroughly investigated. The government's actions clearly do not align with Chhatrapati's values. The people of Maharashtra can now see why we call the Mahayuti government one of great destruction. A new statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj should be installed at this location, but the contractor responsible should be blacklisted. We demand the immediate cessation of all ongoing work by this contractor and punishment for those who disrespected Maharaj."

In response to the collapse, local police have filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil. The FIR, confirmed by Sindhudurg Police, was registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The incident has intensified criticism from opposition parties, who have targeted the state government for poor infrastructure. AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the BJP, stating that the collapse reflects the poor quality of infrastructure developed by the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Similarly, Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav took aim at the BJP, suggesting that every construction project under their rule falls prey to corruption.

The statue had been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, just months before its collapse.

(With ANI inputs)