Nationalist Congress Party (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday led a march of Maha Vikas Aghadi from the iconic Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India in south Mumbai to protest the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district. They slammed the Union and state governments for the collapse, with Thackeray calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apology as one "smacking of arrogance", while Pawar said the episode was an example of corruption.
The statue of the 17th century Maratha warrior king at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil fell on August 26. It was unveiled by PM Modi on December 4, 2023 on the occasion of Navy Day.
Addressing a gathering at Gateway of India, where the protest march culminated, Thackeray said, "Did you notice the arrogance in the (Prime Minister Narendra Modi's) apology? It smacked of arrogance. One deputy chief minister was smiling." Thackeray added, "The mistake (collapse) cannot be forgiven. We have all gathered here to demand 'BJP get out of India'."
Asserting that the people of Maharashtra will never forgive the insult to the legendary warrior king, Thackeray cited the statue collapse, leakages in the Ram Temple and the new Parliament complex to mock Modi's "guarantees". "For what was the PM 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 asserted.
During his address in Palghar on Friday, PM Modi said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king but a deity. "Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity," he had said.
Speaking at the protest march, Pawar said, "The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg is an example of corruption. It is an insult to all Shiv premis (followers of the warrior king)." Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said, much before the PM, the opposition had sought forgiveness from the emperor for allowing such a "Shiv drohi" (those betraying the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji) government to come to power. "We have taken a pledge to never let it happen again," he said, adding the PM's apology was with an eye on the upcoming state polls.
During the agitation, called 'jode maro andolan' (hitting with slippers), Thackeray joined Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress leaders to hit a poster of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar with footwear. Kolhapur Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, a descendant of the emperor, said the latter's dignity must be maintained at all cost.
NCP (SP) supremo Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Thackeray, Congress state unit chief Nana Patole and the party's Mumbai head Varsha Gaikwad began the protest march by laying wreaths at Hutatma Chowk, a memorial to those martyred in the 'Samyukta Maharashtra' agitation. Sharad Pawar faction leaders Supriya Sule and Anil Deshmukh were also present.
A bust of the legendary warrior king was placed at Hutatma Chowk, while those taking part in the protest march carried placards denouncing the statue collapse and shouted slogans against the Eknath Shinde government. NCP (SP) chief Pawar walked some distance as part of the protest march before getting into his vehicle.