BJP leader Nilesh N Rane arrived at the location where a statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed on August 27 and called the incident “unfortunate” and demanded action against the persons at fault.
Notably, the statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra’s coastal Sindhudurg district just eight months ago.
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This morning visuals from the site showed the podium covered up with a cloth where the statue was installed. After the incident, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde blamed “strong winds” for the cave-in.
“What happened is unfortunate, it should not have happened. We demand that action should be taken against those who are at fault, be it contractors or officers…Action will indeed be taken,” said Nilesh N Rane.
“Whatever it takes to reinstall the statue here, will be reinstalled. I assure you of this. I thank the people of Maharashtra for being patient because this is nothing ordinary. It is appreciable of them to maintain peace and calm…I don’t think anyone has done politics over it so far. There is anger over this and I don’t think that is wrong…,” Nilesh N Rane added.
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Another Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar also visited the site and suggested that the Government was building a similar statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea.
“This is an accident. This statue was erected by the Navy. It was Navy Day, Prime Minister was about to come here, so it was done swiftly at that time and everyone praised it…I think there is an opportunity, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was being built in the Arabian Sea. If a similar, very tall statue is built here, it will be an attraction for the entire India. Tourists come to Malvan, so if this is deliberated upon and built like the Statue of Liberty, it will be a tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj…,” said Deepak Kesarkar.
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Earlier, local police filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil following the collapse of the 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg.
The FIR, registered under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), was confirmed by Sindhudurg Police. The incident ignited criticism from the opposition parties, who targeted the state government over poor infrastructure.
The Indian Navy noted with deep concern the damage caused on Monday morning to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled on Navy Day on December 4, 2023, as a dedication to the citizens of Sindhudurg.
The collapsed statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot Fort, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, on December 4, 2023.
